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THE 



N.H. Federal Convention, 
1788. 




THE OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 



\xxi\i 0f t^t Jf^b^ral Constifittion. 



A HISTORY 



New ^ampsljtre Contjention 

FOR THE INVESTIGATION, DISCUSSION, AND DECISION 

OF THE 

FEDERAL CONSTITUTION: 



AND OF THE 



Old Hor^TH GQeeiting-P^ousb 

OF CONCORD, 

In which it was Ratified by the Ninth State, and thus 

Rendered Operative, at one o'clock p. m., on 

Saturday, the 2ist day of June, 

17S8. 

BY JOSEPH B. WAL 




And sovereign law, that state's collected ' 

O'er thrones and globes elate, 
Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill. 

— Sir William y ones. 



BOSTON : 



s^"^ 



Copyright : 
By JOSEPH B. WALKER 




i 



V 



TO THE 

HONORABLE GEORGE W. NESMITH, LL.D. 

FOR SIXTY-THREE YEARS A MEMBER OF 

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BAR, 

AND A LIFE-LONG FRIEND OF THE 

GREAT EXPOUNDER 

OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 

THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF THE 

N. H. FEDERAL CONVENTION 

IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 

BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND, 

JOSEPH B. WALKER. 

Concord, N. H., Nov. i, iSS8. 



PREFACE. 

All interest awakened by the centennial anniversary 
of the ratification by New Hampshire of the Constitu- 
tion of tlie United States prompted the preparation of 
this account of our Federal Convention.^ 

Two facts render its proceedings particularly memo- 
rable, viz., — 

1. In our Convention ratification received its first check. 
A thorough knowledge of the former policy of British 
rule under the Georges, and of the selfish administra- 
tions of their provincial governors, had rendered our 
forefathers cautious, when asked to surrender to a 
superior central power a portion of the rights which 
they had acquired by a profuse expenditure of blood 
and treasure. Moreover, the public sentiment of the 
state was averse to slavery,^ gradually dying out within 
its own limits, and any national provision conservative 
of that institution did not command a wide approval. 
Then, too, the inhabitants of New Hampshire were, at 



1 The New Hampshire Histor- 
ical Society celebrated this an- 
niversary at Concord, on the 
21st day of June, 1888, by an 
address by Hon. James W. Pat- 
terson, at the Opera House, in 
the forenoon, which was follow- 
ed in the afternoon by a dinner 



and appropriate post-prandial 
speeches, many of which were 
made by distinguished guests 
of the society from other states. 

2 Slavery died a natural death 
in New Hampshire. It was nev- 
er formally abolished by statute. 



VUl PREFACE. 

this time, almost wholly an agricultural people. Its 
short coast line afforded but one harbor, and its impor- 
tant water-powers were still unimproved. Its virgin 
soil yielded to its hardy occupants a satisfactory sup- 
port, and these felt but little the need of a stronger 
general government. 

2. But for this check New Hampshire tvould have been 
the seventh state to ratify the Federal Constitution, and 
the honor of being the ninth and thereby/ completing the 
number required to render operative its provisions would 
have attached to another. Discouraging as this check 
at first proved to the Federalists throughout the coun- 
try, it afterwards secured to New Hampshire a distinc- 
tion which but one only of the thirteen states could 
possibly enjoy — a distinction which the citizens of New 
Hampshire ought always to appreciate and never under- 
value. 

Of the fact that the history of our Federal Conven- 
tion is worthy of a more exhaustive examination than 
any which it has yet received, no one is more fully 
aware than the author of this volume. If its publication 
shall contribute in any degree to the attainment of this 
end, the most important object of its issue will have 
been accomplished. ; 




CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

The grandest period of American history. — A new nation. — Need 
of a stronger government. — Brevity of the Joiu'nal of the Con- 
vention. — Few reports of speeches of members preserved. 

CHAPTER II. 

THE MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION. 

Names of delegates from the several towns and places. — Biograph- 
ical sketches of prominent members. 

CHAPTER III. 

FIRST SESSION OF THE CONVENTION. 

Examination and discussion of the Constitution. — Ratification 
found impossible. — Adjournment to a future day proposed, 
opposed, and carried. 

CHAPTER IV. 

DURING THE INTERIM. 

Friends of the Constitution at first disappointed by the adjourn- 
ment. — Progress of ratification in other states. — Efforts of the 
Federalists during the recess. 

CHAPTER V. 

SECOND SESSION OF THE CONVENTION. 

General interest in its proceedings. — First and second days. — Ap- 
pointment of a committee to propose amendments. — Mr. 
Atherton's motion to ratify conditionally defeated. — Judge 



X coNTE:srTS. 

Livermore's motion. — Motion to adjourn defeated. — The main 
question put. — The final vote. 

CHAPTER VI. 

CLOSING WORK OF THE CONVENTION. 

The formal announcement to Congress of its action by the Con- 
vention. — The leaders of the two parties. 

CHAPTER Vn. 

EFFECTS OF THE NEWS OF RATIFICATION BY THE NINTH STATE. 

Celebrations and rejoicings at Portsmouth, Boston, Salem, Provi- 
dence, Newport, and elsewhere. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE OF CONCORD. 

Frame. — Raising. — Dimensions. — Location. — Seats. — Proprietors. 
Bow controversy. — Completion. — Pews. — Pulpit. — Gallery. — 
Singing-seats. — Horse-block. — Sale of pews. 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE — CONCLUDED. 

Enlargement. — Bell. — First bell-ringer. — Toleration Act. — Sale of 
town's interest in the house and bell. — Remodelling of pews. 
— Occupancy by the New Hampshire Constitutional Conven- 
tions of 1778, 1781, and 1791, and by the General Court in 
1782 and subsequently. — Introduction of stoves. — Election 
sermons. — Its abandonment as a house of worship, and its 
conversion to a Methodist theological seminary. — Its destruc- 
tion by fire. 



ILLUSTRATIONS, 



Page. 
Fac-simile of the Heading of the account 

IN THE New Hampshire Gazette of the 

Celebration at Portsmouth, on the 26th 

DAY of June, 1788, of the Ratification 

of the Constitution 56 

Old North Meeting-House ..... 65 

Pulpit ■ . 74 

Horse-Block 79 

Plan of Gallery 84 

Plan of First Floor 92 



ClIAPTEK I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The grandest period of American hisUrry. A. 
new nation. Need of a stronger government. 
Brevity of the Journal of the Convention. 
Few reports of speeches of members jrreserved. 

The grandest period in American history is, 
perhaps, all things considered, that during which 
the thirteen colonies raised themselves from a 
condition of royal dependence to that of a sta- 
ble nationality. It began with the assembling 
of the Continental Congress, on the fifth day of 
September, 1774, and ended with the ratification 
of the Federal Constitution by ^NTew Hampshire, 
as the ninth state, on the twenty-first day of 
June, 1788. It embraces the Kevolutionary 
struggle with England, and the subsequent sur- 
render, by thirteen jealous state sovereignties, 
to a common central organization, of such of 



Z INTKODUOTOEY. 

their political powers as were requisite for the 
formation of an efficient national government. 

The adoption of the Federal Constitution by 
nine independent states was the creation of a 
new nation, not by slow, successive develop- 
ments, but rather by a single joint act of popular 
power. By this a new-born government sprang 
at once into perfect existence, as had formerly 
the fabled Minerva from the head of Jove. As 
they witnessed this sublime achievement, the 
friends of human freedom might have said, as 
did Pope Paul the Third of the creation of the 
Order of Jesus, " The finger of God is in it." 

Previous experience, dui'ing their struggle for 
independence, had revealed to the several states 
the necessity of a stronger union than that of 
a common interest or friendly sympathy, and 
secured to them the Articles of Confederation. 
These, strengthened by constant external dan- 
ger, answered in a measure their purpose until 
the advent of peace revealed their weakness, and 
the necessities of an expanding nation demanded 
a bond of greater strength. 

This was found in due time in the Federal 
Constitution, which had been drafted by a Con- 
vention, assembled for the purpose, at Philadel- 



ES^TRODUCTORY. 6 

phia, in May, 1787,^ and reported to congress on 
the twenty-eighth day of the following Septem- 
ber, which body, shortly after, referred the qnes- 
tion of its adojition to the people of the several 
states. 

To detail N^ew Hampshire's part in the ratifi- 
cation of this great instrument has been at- 
tempted in the following pages — a part Avhich 
has given to her a glory which will never grow 
dim, but, rather, brighter and more bright, as 
American nationality expands, and as the great 
principles which it embodies are more extensive- 
ly welcomed by other peoples in other lands. 

It is to be^._regretted that the Journal of the 
Federal Convention of IS^^ew Hampshire is so 
very brief. It records not the proceedings, l^ut 
the_results only of the proceedings, and gives 
no idea wiiatever of the" character of the debates 
>¥hicli-led to thent? Its two sessions occupied a 
period of ten days at Exeter, and another of four 
days at Concord. Exclusive of the roll of mem- 
bers, the-^^cretary^B record covers but ten and 

^The Federal Convention held The delegates from New Hamp- 
its first session on the fourteenth shire were John Langdon of 
day of May, 1787, and was dis- Portsmouth, and Nicholas Gil- 
solved on the seventeenth day man of Exeter, 
of September of the same year. 




^^ 



4: H^TEODUCTOBY. 

one third printed pages of the tenth volume of 
the 'New Hampshire Provincial and State 
Papers. It does not afford a report of any de- 
bate, not even of a single speech or the sub- 
stance of one. In fact, in all his searchings, the 
writer has discovered an authentic report of but 
one speech made in the Convention, viz., that of 
Governor Sullivan upon the subject of the juris- 
diction of the federal courts, which Mr. Thomas 
C. Amory has quoted from the Freeman'' s Ora- 
cle of March 7, 1788, in his valuable life of that 
gentleman.^ There is reason to suppose that the 
speech attributed to Col. Ebenezer Webster was 
written out from tradition, by a hand other than 
his own, long after the Convention. The same 
may perhaps be true of the one credited to Hon. 
Joshua Atherton, upon the subject of slavery, 
which was printed by George Barstow, in his 
History of N&w Hampshire, in 1842. In his 
memoir of his father, Hon. Charles H. Atherton 
remarks that it may have been published at the 
time in Melcher^s JSTew Hampshire Gazette; but 
an examination of the file of that paper for 1788 
has not revealed it. So far as the author of this 
chapter knows, it appeared for the first time in 

iLife of Gen. John Sullivan, pp. 230 and 231. 



INTRODUCTORY. O 

print in the Nen^ HamjysMre Statesman for July 
7, 1827. 

If an account of the proceedings of the Con- 
vention be sought in the ]N"ew Hampshire news- 
papers of the time, it will be found that these, 
few in number and of limited dimensions, con- 
tain but little of the information sought. Yet 
something may be gleaned from them regarding 
the state of public opinion among the most 
prominent citizens of the state. The New 
Hamj)shire Gazette contains a series of articles 
in which " Fabius " ably discusses the merits of 
the proposed Constitution. The student of the 
Convention will find the Massachusetts papers 
quite as helpful as those of our own state. From 
biographical notices of members, and from town 
and other histories, facts may often be gleaned 
of much importance. In short, the materials for 
a satisfactory account of this memorable assem- 
bly are to be obtained only by much research. 
They will often bp found where least expected, 
and are by no means abundant. 




CHAPTER II. 

THE MEMBERS OF THE CONVEI^TIOIsr. 

Names of Delegates from the several towns and 
places. Biograjphical Shetches of prominent 
members. 

The IS^ew Hampshire Convention, " for the 
Investigation, Discussion, and Decision of the 
Federal Constitution," assembled at the court- 
house, in Exeter, on Wednesday, the thirteenth 
day of February, A. D. 1788. 

The population of the state at that time num- 
bered about one hundred and thirty-four thou- 
sand.^ One hundred and thirteen delegates were 
returned to the Convention from one hundred 
and seventy-five towns and places. It appears 
by the Journal that one of these, Mr. JN^athaniel 
Ladd, of Epping, never took his seat; and that 
Haverhill, Piermont, Warren, Coventry, Lin- 

^ Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 3, p. 236. 



MEMBERS. i 

coin, and Franconia were unrepresented at the 
first session, and Lee, Peterborough, Society 
Land, Hancock, Antrim, Deering, and Hinsdale 
at the second. 

Each town was usually represented by one 
delegate. Portsmouth, however, sent three and 
Londonderry two, while in some instances sev- 
eral small towns or places joined and sent but 
one, as in the case of Holderness, Campton, and 
Thornton, represented by Judge Samuel Liver- 
more. 

The names of these towns and places, and of 
their delegates as shown by the Journal of the 
Convention, were as follows : 

Names of towns and places Names of delegates to the Vote of each on 

represented. Convention. Ratification. 

Portsmouth, John Langdon, Esq^i y. 

1 John Langdon, Esq., one of and speaker of the house of [.^^"'^ 

New Hampshire's most distin- representatives, N. H., 1776 and 

guished citizens, was born in 1777 ; he forwarded the expedi- 

Portsmouth, 1740; son of John tion, under Gen. Stark, to cut 

L. and grandson of Tobias off Burgoyne's march, 1777 ; 

Langdon. He was one of the judge of the court of common 

party which seized Fort William pleas ; in 1779 he was continen- 

and Mary, at New Castle, 1774, tal agent in New Hampshire for 

and carried away the powder building of public ships; and 

and military stores ; a delegate again delegate to congress in 

to the Continental Congress in 1783. Li 1784-85 he was a 

1775 and 1776 ; representative member of the N. H. senate, and 



« 


MEMBERS. 


Names of towns and 


places Names of delegates to the Vote of each on 


represented. 


Convention. Ratification. 


Portsmouth, 


John Pickering, Esq^".^ y. 


u 


Pierce Long, Esq"". y. 


Exeter, 


• John Taylor Oilman, Esq^^ y. 



in the latter year was president 
of the state, and in November, 
1788, was elected senator of the 
United States, and was the first 
president pro tem. of that body 
under the Federal Constitution. 
He was senator two terms. 
From 1805 to 1808, and again in 
1810, he was governor of the 
state. Governor Langdon was 
eminent for his personal digni- 
ty, his patriotism, his capacity 
for offices of high honor and 
trust, and for his religious rev- 
erence and devotion. He was 
a member of the first church in 
Portsmouth. An excellent por- 
trait of him is in the council- 
chamber of the state. He died 
Sept. 18, 1819, aged 78. — Prov. 
and State Papers, vol. x, p. 8. 

1 John Pickering, Esq., was a 
native of Newington ; graduated 
at Harvard college in 1761, and 
having devoted some time to 
theological studies, was offered 
the rectorship of an Episcopal 
church in England. He .declin- 
ed, and applied himself to the 
study of the law, in which he 
became eminent. He was attor- 



ney-general, 1786 ; was a lead- 
ing member of the Convention, 
1791-2 ; repeatedly a member of 
the legislature ; president of the 
senate in 1789 ; and governor, 
ex officio, of the state, on the 
election of Governor John Lang- 
don to the senate of the United 
States. In 1790 he was appoint- 
ed chief-justice of the superior 
court, which office he held five 
years. He was afterwards dis- 
trict judge of the United States. 
He received the degree of LL. D. 
from Harvard and Dartmouth 
colleges. He died April 11, 
1805, aged 67. — Prov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 30. 

2 John Taylor Gilman, Esq., of 
Exeter, was the son of Nicholas 
Gilman, who married Ann Tay- 
lor, a daughter of Rev. John 
Taylor, of Milton, Mass. He 
was born Dec. 19, 1753. With 
only the advantages of a com- 
mon academic education, he rose 
to distinction in all the public 
offices of the state. The morn- 
ing after the news of the battle 
of Lexington, he marched as a 
volunteer with a hundred others 





MEMBERS. 


y 


Names of towns and places Names of delegates to the 


Vote of each on 


represented. 


Convention. 


Ratification. 


Londonderry, 


CoP Daniel Runnels,' 


n. 


b( 


Archib'^ McMurphy, Esq^ 


n. 


Chester, 


Mr. Joseph Blanchard, 


y- 


Newington, 


Benjamin Adams, Esq^ 


y- 


Greenland, 


Dr. Ichabod Weeks, 


y- . 


Rye, 


Mr. Nathan Goss, 


y- 


New Castle, 


Henry Prescutt, Esq'". 


y- 


North Hampton, 


Rev'^^ Benj'^. Thurston,i 


y- 


Hampton, 


Christopher Toppan, Esq^ 


y- 


Hampton Falls 






& Seabrook, 


ReV^ Sami. Langdon,^ 


y- 


Stratham, 


Mr. Jon^ Wiggin, 


y- 


Kensington, 


Jeremiah Fogg, Esq^ 


y- 



to Cambridge. In 1782 he was 
a member of congress ; in 1783, 
treasurer of the state, and again 
in 1791-93. He filled the office 
of governor from 1794 to 1805; 
■was again elected in 1813, 1814, 
and 1815. His long and use- 
ful services were gratefully ac- 
knowledged by the legislature 
in a farewell address. Political- 
ly he wask nown as a Federalist. 
He died in Exeter, September, 
1828, aged 74. — Prov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 9. 

iRev. Benjamin Thurston was 
the fourth pastor of the church 
of North Hampton. He was 
born at Bradford, Mass., in 1750, 
and graduated at Harvard col- 
lege in 1774. He was ordained 



November 2, 1785, and contin- 
ued his pastorate of this church 
about fifteen years, at the expi- 
ration of which period he re- 
signed the position, and was dis- 
missed October 27, 1800. He is 
said to have died near Raleigh, 
N. C, about 1804. 

2 Rev. Samuel Langdon, D. D., 
of Hampton Falls, was first set> 
tied over the North church at 
Portsmouth, twenty-seven years. 
He was afterwards elected to the 
office of president of Harvard 
college, which he held from 1774 
to 1780. Eminent for learn- 
ing, patriotism, and piety, he 
deceased Nov. 29, 1797, aged 
75. — Prov. and State Papers, 
vol. X, p. 9. 



10 



MEMBERS. 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



S. Hampton & 

East Kingstown, Mr. Benj*^ Clough, n 

Kingstown, Hon' Josiah Bartlett, Esq^l y 

Brentwood, Doc*. Thomas Stow Ranney, y 

Epping, Mr. Nath^ Ladd, 

New Market, NatW Rogers, Esq"^. y 

Nottingham, Tho^ Bartlett, Esq^'. ^ y 



^Hon. Josiah Bartlett, Esq., 
takes rank with the most emi- 
nent of New Hampshire's sons. 
He was born in Amesbni'y, Mass., 
in 1729, — son of Stephen Bart- 
lett. In his profession of med- 
icine he acquired distinction, 
but was called from a successful 
practice to fill offices of trust 
and honor in the state and in 
the national congress. He was 
one of the signers of the Decla- 
ration of Independence, July, 
1776 ; chief-justice of the court 
of common pleas (N. H.) 1779; 
justice of the superior court, 
1784, — chief-justice in 1788. In 
1790 he was chosen by the leg- 
islature president of Xew Hamp- 
shire, and in 1791 he was elect- 
ed to the same office by the peo- 
ple ; and, under the revised con- 
stitution, he was chosen gov- 
ernor, 1792. He was the chief 
original founder and president 
of the j^Tew Hampshire Medical 
Society, 1791. He died May 19, 



1795, aged 65. — Prov, and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 9. 

" Thomas Bartlett, Esq., of 
Nottingham, was among the 
leading patriots of Rockingham 
county. Aside from offices of 
minor grade, he was captain of 
tte 5th company of " six weeks 
men " at Winter Hill in 1775 ; 
lieutenant-colonel in Col. Gil- 
man's regiment at Rhode Is- 
land in 1778 ; from May, 1778, 
to January, 1779, a member of 
the Committee of Safety; colo- 
nel of one of the New Hamp- 
shire regiments for the defence 
of West Point in 1780. Under 
the law of 1792 he was made 
brigadier-general of the third 
brigade of New Hampshire 
militia. He was representative 
to the fourth Provincial Con- 
gress, at Exeter, May, 1775, and 
one of the committee to remove 
the public records from Ports- 
mouth to Exeter, in June, 1775. 



MEMBERS. 



11 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



Deerfield, Doc*. Edm^ Chadwick, 

Northwood, Epsom 

& Allenstown, Maj^ James Gray, 

Chichester & 

Benj'^ Sias, Esq*". 
Col« Jer«. Clough, 
Mr. Charles Glidden, 
Mr. Jon*^ Smith, 
Cap*. Benj* Emery, 
Samuel Daniels, Esq^ 
Mr. Stephen Fifield, 



Pittsfield, 
Canterbury, 
Northfield, 
Loudon, 
Concord, 
Pembroke, 
Candia, 
Raymond & 

Poplin,^ 
Hawke^ & San 

down, 
Hampstead, 



Mr. Thomas Chase, 

Mr. Nehemiah Sleeper, 
John Calfe, Esq^'.^ 



n. 
n. 

y- 

n. 
n. 

n. 

n. 

n. 
J- 



After the Revolution he was 
speaker of the house of repre- 
sentatives and justice of the 
court of common pleas. He 
died June 30, 1807, aged 59. 
— Prov. and State Papers, vol. 
10, p. 9. 

1 Fremont. 

2 Danville. 

3 John Calfe was, in some re- 
spects, a very remarkable man. 
Few were so generally known 
throughout the state, and no 
one was more highly esteemed. 
He was born at Newbury, Mass., 
on the 13th of June, 17-41. He 



removed to Hampstead in 1762. 
The next year he became a 
member of the church, and ten 
years later was elected a deacon. 
He was an under officer in one 
of the French and Indian wars, 
and was in active service about 
Lake Champlain. At a later 
period he was a captain and 
subsequently a major in the 
army of the Revolution. From 
May 28, 1778, to June 5, 1779, 
and from Jan. 22, 1780, to May 
28, 1784, he was a member of 
the Committee of Safety. He 
was secretary of the New Hamp- 
shire Convention called to con- 



rz 


MEMBERS. 




Names of towns and 
represented. 


places Names of delegates to 
the Convention. 


Vote of each on 
Ratification. 


Atkinson & 






Plastow, 


Col°. Benj* Stone, 


n. 


Salem, 


L*. Thomas Dow, 


n. 


Newtown, 


Cap*. Robert Steward, 


n. 


Wyndham, 

Pelham, 

Dover, 


James Bettan, Esq^ 
Rev*^ Amos Moody, 
Doc*. Ezra Green,^ 


J- 
J- 

J- 


Durham, 


Excy John Sullivan, Esq^ 


" J- 



sider the ratification of the Fed- 
eral Constitution, and in 1791- 
92 held the same office in the 
convention for the revision of 
the state constitution. For 
twenty-five years he was a jus- 
tice of the court of common 
pleas for the county of Rocking- 
ham, and for a like period was 
clerk of the New Hampshire 
house of representatives. He 
was emphatically a man of the 
people. He was honest, capa- 
ble, and judicious. An old wi'i- 
ter has remarked that "no man 
more sacredly regarded the will 
of the people than he." He died 
at Hampstead, October 30, 1808, 
aged 67. — Compiled from F. and 
Moore's Hist. Col. 

^Dr. Ezra Green, of Dover, 
was born in Maiden, Mass.; 
graduated at Harvard college, 
1765 ; joined the army under 
Col. James Reed, 1775; in June 



of that year was appointed 
surgeon, and served on land till 
April, 1778. He was then ap- 
pointed surgeon on board the 
ship Ranger, under command of 
Capt. John Paul Jones. Retir- 
ing from service in 1781, he set- 
tled at Dover as a merchant. 
He died, greatly respected, July 
25, 1847, aged 101.— Proy. and 
State Papers, vol. x, p. 9. 

2 His Excellency John Sulli- 
van, Esq., president of the Con- 
vention, was the son of John 
Sullivan, and was born in Dover, 
in that part called Somers- 
worth, in 1741. He was a broth- 
er of His Excellency James Sul- 
livan, of Massachusetts. Both 
received their education from 
their father. John commenced 
the practice of law at Durham, 
where he continued his residence 
till his death, and where his re- 
mains are interred. He early 





MEMBERS. 


16 


Names of towns and places Names of delegates to 


Vote of each on 


represented. 


the Convention. 


Ratification. 


Sommersworth, 


Moses Carr, Esq^'. 


y- 


Rochester, 


Mr. Barnabas Palmer, 


n. 


Barringtoii, 


Maf Samuel Hale, 


J- 


Sandborntown, 


William Harper, Esq"^. 


n. 


Oilman town, 


Honb^ Joseph Badger,^ 


n. 



evinced a military spirit, and 
was one of the brave baud that 
seized Fort William and Mary at 
New Castle, 1774 ; was delegate 
to congress 1774-75, and in the 
latter year was appointed brig- 
adier-general in the army of the 
Revolution, and in 1779 major- 
general. He was in command 
at Winter Hill, 1775 ; in Can- 
ada, 1776; distinguished in the 
battles of Brandywine and Ger- 
mantown, 1777 ; commanded the 
army in Rhode Island, 1778 ; 
and was at the head of the ex- 
pedition against the western In- 
dians in 1779. Filling numer- 
ous oflBces in the state as agent 
to settle the disputed bounds 
of the New Hampshire Grants, 
attorney-general, etc., in 1786 
and 1787 he was chosen pres- 
ident of New Hampshire. In 
1789 he was a presidential elec- 
tor, and again that year chosen 
president of the state. He was 
appointed judge of the district 
court of New Hampshire by 
Washington, 1789, which office 
he held till his death, Jan. 23, 



1795, at the age of 54. See an 
admirable portrait of him in 
the council-chamber. Concord, 
painted from a sketch by Col. 
Trumbull. — Prov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 10. 

iHon. Joseph Badger, Esq., 
son of Capt. Joseph Badger, an 
early settler in Gilmanton, was 
born in Bradford, Mass., Oct. 
23, 1746. He was a man of great 
military ardor, and held offices 
in the militia for thirty years, 
passing from the rank of captain 
to that of brigadier-general. He 
was present at the capture of 
Burgoyne in 1779. After the 
war he served the town of Gil- 
manton as representative, and 
was a councillor six years, — 
1784, 1790-92, 1795-96. H,e was 
one of the founders of Gilman- 
ton academy, gave the land on 
which it is located, and superin- 
tended the erection of the build- 
ing. He died Jan. 15, 1809, aged 
62. The late Governor William 
Badger was his son. — Prov. and 
State Papers, vol. x, p. 10. 



14 



MEMBERS. 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Cap* Reuben Hill, 
Rev^ William Hooper/ 



Lee, 

Madbury, 
Merrideth & 

New Hampton, CoP. Eben^. Smith, 
Sandwich & 

Tamworth, Daniel Bedee, Esq^ 

Monltonboro', 

Tuftonborough, 

Wolfboro' & 

Ossipee, Mr. Naty. Shannon, 

Barnstead, 

New Durham & 

N. D. Gore, Mr. Jon^ Chesley, 
Wakefield, 

Middletown & 

Effingham, Mr. Nicholas Austin, 

Conway, 

Eaton, 

Burton^ & 

Locations, David Page, Esq^". 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



n. 



y- 



n. 



n. 



1 Rev. William Hooper was 
born in Berwick, Maine, where 
he was ordained as a Calvin ist 
Baptist minister on the seven- 
teenth day of August, 1776. On 
the day of his ordination he 
baptized Benjamin Randall, af- 
terwards the founder of the 
Freewill Baptist denomination 
in New Hampshire. He remov- 
ed to Madbury, where he was 
highly esteemed as a man and a 
preacher. He had a small farm, 



which, with shoemaking, occu- 
pied his leisure time. For twen- 
ty-five years he was the secre- 
tary of the New Hampshire Bap- 
tist Association. He was a man 
of middling size, vigorous con- 
stitution, strong mind, retentive 
memory, great decision of char- 
acter, and inflexible integrity. 
He died in Madbury in 1837.— 
Compiled from Plumer Papers. 

2 Albany. 



MEMBERS. 



15 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Nottingham West/Mr. Eben'^ Cummings, 



Litchfield, 

Derryfield,^ 

Dunstable, 

Merrimac, 

Bedford, 

Goifstown, 

Holies, 

Amherst, 

Raby^ & Mason, 

New Ipswich, 



Mr. Daniel Bixby, 
Lieu*. John Hall, 
Deac'^ W'^. Hunt, 
Timothy Taylor, Esq"". 
Mr. Stephen Dole, 
Mr. William Page, 
Cap*. Daniel Kindrick, 
Joshua Atherton, Esq"".* 
Deac" Amos Dakin, 
Cap*. Charles Barrett,^ 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 

n. 
n. 

y- 

n. 
n. 
n. 
n. 
n. 
n. 

y- 

n. 



1 Hudson. 

2 Manchester. 
8 Brookline. 

* Hon. Joshua Atherton was 
born in Harvard, Massachusetts, 
June 20, 1737 ; was a graduate 
of Hai'vard college, 1762 ; com- 
menced the practice of law in 
Amherst, 1772 ; was father of 
Hon. Charles H. Atherton and 
grandfather of Hon. Charles G. 
Atherton, both distinguished as 
lawyers and civilians. In the 
Revolution, Mr. Atherton at 
first favored the loyalists, and 
for a time was imprisoned in 
Amherst jail, but subsequently 
regained the confidence of his 
fellow-citizens; was a member 
of the Convention that adopted 
the Federal Constitution, 1788, 
state senator, 179.3, and attor- 
ney-general of the state 1793- 
1801. He died in Amherst, April 



3, 1809, aged 71. — Pi-ov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 35. 

5 Capt. Charles Barrett was 
born in 1740, and for many years 
was one of the most enterprising 
citizens of Xew Ipswich. Dur- 
ing the Revolutionary period his 
loyalty to the patriot cause was 
for a time in doubt, but he re- 
gained public confidence, and 
was repeatedly honored by his 
fellow-citizens with important 
public offices. He was a state 
senator in 1791, 1793, and 1794, 
and at different times a repre- 
sentative and a councillor. He 
with associates erected the first 
cotton factory built in New 
Hampshire. On a plan of his 
own he constructed a canal in 
the midst of George's river, 
hoping thereby to render prac- 
ticable the passage of boats 
from tide water to the town — an 



Names of towns and places 


Names of delegates to the 


Vote of each on 


represented. 


Convention. 


Ratification. 


Francestown, 


Mr. Thomas Bixby, 


n. 


Wilton, 


Mr. William Abbott, 


J- 


Lyndeborough, 


Doc^ Benj* Jones, 


n. 


Temple & 






Peterbor" Slip, 


Deac"^ John Cragin, 


n. 


Peterbor*' & 






Society Land, 


Maji'. Nathan Dix, 




Hancock, Antrim 






& Deering, 


Mr. Evan Dow, 




Hinnekar & 






Hillsborough, 


Mr. Robert B.Wilkius,i 


J- 


New Boston, 


John Cochran, Esq^". 


n. 


Weare, 


Mr. Jonathan Dow, 


n. 


Hopkinton, 


Mr. Joshua Morss, 


y- 


Dunbar ton & Bow, 


Mr. Jacob Green, 


n. 



enterprise which proved unsuc- 
cessful. He was a large owner of 
wild lands in Maine, and made 
many efforts for their occupancy 
and improvement. He was an 
impulsive man, and possessed 
great energy. He had but a 
limited education, yet his untir- 
ing activity and business expe- 
rience suplied in part this want. 
Few persons, if any, appreciated 
more fully the value of early 
mental training, and he became 
one of the founders of New Ips- 
wich academy. He died Dec. 
21, 1808. — Compiled from Histo- 
ry of New Ipswich. 

iMr. Robert B. Wilkins, of 



Henniker, a native of Amherst, 
entered the army at the age of 
sixteen, and was in the battle of 
Bunker Hill — wounded ; in the 
Continental army, in Col. Scam- 
mel's regiment, he was promo- 
ted to a lieutenancy. He served 
under Gen. Lafayette, of whom 
he was a great admirer. On his 
visit to Concord, in June, 1825, 
the general met Lieut. Wilkins 
and recognized him. Receiving 
a pension from the government, 
he spent the later years of his 
life with his family in Concord, 
but died in Boston, August, 
1832, aged 77.— Prov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 10. 



MEMBERS. 



17 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 

Salisbury, 

Boscawen, 

Fisbersfield,^ Sut- 
ton & Warner, 

New London, An- 
dover & Gore, 

Charlestown, 

Alstead, 

Keene, 

Swanzey, 

Richmond, 



Names of delegates to the Vote of each on 

Convention. Ratification. 

Col** Ebenezer Webster,^ 

CoP Joseph Gerrish, j. 

Nath^ Beau, Esq^ n. 



Benj^ West, Esq^'.^ y. 

Cap*. Oliver Shepherd, y. 

Rev'^ Aaron Hall,* y. 

Maf . Elisha Whitcomb, y. 

Mr. Jon'^. Gaskill, n. 



1 Col. Ebenezer Webster, of 
Salisbury, was the father of 
Hon. Ezekiel and Daniel Web- 
ster. He was born in Kingston 
in 1740. Settling in Salisbury, 
he served in the " Seven Years 
War " against the French and 
Indians; in the Revolution he 
Avas captain of a company ; in 
1785-99 was a state senator, 
and also 1790-91. He was a 
judge of the court of common 
pleas for Hillsborough covmty 
from 1791 to 1806. It does not 
appear that he voted on the 
adoption of the Constitution. 
He died in 1806, aged G7.—Prov. 
and State Papers, vol. x, p. 10. 

■^ Newbury. 

3 Benjamin West, Esq., of 
Charlestown, was son of Rev. 



Thomas West and brother of 
Rev. Dr. Samuel West, of 
Boston. He was born April 8, 
17-46 ; graduated at Harvard 
college, 1768. He resided in 
Charlestown more than forty 
years in the practice of law, and 
died July, 1817, aged 71. He 
ranked among the first of his 
profession. — Prof. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 11. 

4 Rev. Aaron Hall, of Keene, a 
native of Cheshire, Conn., born 
in 1751, was a graduate of Yale 
college, 1772; ordained Febru- 
ary 19, 1778 ; died Aug. 12, 1814, 
after a ministry of thirty-six 
years, aged 63. — Prov. and State 
Papers, vol. x, p. 11. 



18 



MEMBEKS. 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 

Jaffrey, 

Winchester, 

Westmoreland, 

Chesterfield, 

Rindge, 

Walpole, 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Mr. Abel Parker, 
Cap*. Moses Chamberlain, 
Mr. Archilaus Temple, 
Doc*. Solomon Harvey, 
Cap*. Othniel Thomas, 
Gen^. Benj^ Bellows,^ 
X Mr. Aaron Allen, 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



iHon. Abel Parker, son of 
Samuel Parker and Mary (Proc- 
tor) Robbins, was born in West- 
ford, Mass., March 25, 1753. At 
the age of fourteen he removed 
with his father to Pepperell, 
Mass. He was a soldier in the 
battle of Bunker Hill, and was 
wounded. He was subsequent- 
ly a sergeant in Capt. Job Shat- 
tuck's company, of Col. Reed's 
regiment. Upon the expiration 
of his term of service he return- 
ed to his farm in Pepperell, and 
was married, Oct. 14, 1777, to 
Edith, daughter of Jedediah 
Jewett, of P. — a woman of 
marked religious character. On 
the 5th of May, 1780, he remov- 
ed to Jaffrey, where he cleared 
a farm, which he occupied until ' 
1805, when he again removed 
to the centre of the town, where 
he spent the remainder of his 
life. He was a tall man, of 
stately appearance, dignified, 
grave in his deportment, highly 
respected and influential. He 



held many town and state offi- 
ces, and was a judge of pro- 
bate for twenty years. He was 
also, for a time, postmaster of 
Jaffrey. He was a deeply re- 
ligious man, and a member of 
various benevolent societies. He 
died in 1831, aged 78 years. 

J. B. W. 

2 Gen. Benjamin Bellows, of 
Walpole, son of Col. Benjamin, 
was born Oct. 6, 1740. He was 
greatly respected as a citizen, 
and honored with many public 
offices, — as representative, sena- 
tor, and councillor. He was 
president of the electoral col- 
lege when George Washington 
was elected president, in 1789, 
and again, in 1797, when John 
Adams was elected. In the 
Revolution he commanded a 
regiment; was present at the 
surrender of Burgoyne. He died 
in Walpole, June, 1802, aged 61. 
— State and Prov. Papers, vol. 
X, p. 11. 



MEMBERS. 



19 



Names of towns and places 
represented. 



Names of delegates to the 
Convention. 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



Claremont, Deac^. Matthias Stone, 

Cornish & Gran- 
tham, Gen^ Jonathan Chase, 

Newport & Croy- 

den, Mr. John Remmele, 

Acworth, Lemp- 
ster, & Mar- 
low, Daniel Grout, Esq^ 

WendelP & Unity, Mr. Moses True, 

Surry & Gilsom, Col°. Jonathan Smith, 

Stoddard & Wash- 
ington, Thomas Pinneman, Esq*'. 

Dublin & Packers- 
field,^ Sam\ Griffin, Esq'^'. 

Marlborough, Mr. Jedediah Tainter, 

Fitz William, L*. Caleb Winch, 

Plainfield, Maj'^'. Joseph Kimball, 

Hinsdale, Mr. Uriel Evans, 

Protectworth,^ 

Holderness, Camp- 
ton, & Thornton,Hon^. Samuel Livermore,^ 



n. 



n. 
n. 



n. 
n. 

y- 



y- 



^ Suiiaj)ee. 
^ Nelson. 

8 Springfield. 

^Hon. Samuel Livermore, Esq., 
president of the Convention, 
was probably a descendant of 
John Livermore, who was in 
Watertown, Mass., 1642. He 
was born in Waltham, Mass., 
May 14, 1732, O. S. ; graduated 



at Princeton, New Jersey, 1752 ; 
came to New Hampshire 1757, 
and established himself in Ports- 
mouth ; for several years was 
judge-advocate of the admiralty 
cou.rt, and in 1769 was the king's 
attorney-general for New Hamp- 
shire. About 1765 he settled 
in Holderness, Grafton county. 
Representative from that town, 
attorney-general of the state be- 



20 MEMBERS. 

Names of towns and places Names of delegates to the Vote of each on 

represented. Convention. Ratification. 

Plymouth, Rum- 
ney, & Went- 
worth, Francis Worster, Esq'^. j. 

New Chester^ Al- 
exandra, & 
Cockermouth,^ Mr. Thomas Crawford, y. 

Enfield, Canaan, 
Cardigan,® Dor- 
chester & Graf- 
ton, Jesse Johnson, Esq'^'. y. 

Hanover, Jonathan Freeman, Esq'^. y. 

Lebanon, Col°. Elisha Payne, y. 

Lyme & Orford, Wm. Simpson, Esq^ y. 

Haverhill, Pier- 
mont, Warren, 
and Coventry,* CoP. Joseph Hutchins, n. 

Lincoln & Fran- 

conia. Cap*. Isaac Patterson, y. 



fore the Revolution, and after- received the honorary degree of 

ward, 1776. In 1779 he was ap- LL. D. from Dartmouth college 

pointed commissioner to support 1792. He died at Holderness, 

and defend the claims to the May, 1803, in the 72d year of 

New Hampshire grants ; mem- his age. — Prov. and State Pa- 

ber of congress 1780-82, and pers, vol. x, p. 37. , 

then chief-justice of the state 

1782-90, as successor of Hon. ^Hill. 

Meshech Weare. He was a 

member of the Federal Con- ^ Groton. 

vention in 1788 ; again elected 3 q 

to congress 1790-93; United 

States Senator six years. He ^Benton. 



MEMBERS. 



21 



Names of towns and places Names of delegates to the 

represented. Convention. 

Bath, Lyman, 
Landaff, Little- 
ton & Dalton. Maj"". Samuel Young, 

Lancaster, North- 
umberland, 
Stratford, Dart- 
mouth,^ Piercy,^ 
Cockburn,^ & 
Coleburn,* Cap*. John Weeks, 



Vote of each on 
Ratification. 



^ Jefferson. 
2 Stark. 



3 Columbia. 

* Colebrook. 




CHAPTER III. 



FIRST SESSION OF THE CO:sr VENATION. 



n 



Examination and discussion of the Constitution. 
JRatification found imi^ossihle. -Adjournment 
to a future day 'projiosed^ 02^])osed, and car- 
ried. 

^■^ The ^ew Hampshire Convention for the " In- 
vestigation, Discussion, and Decision of the Fed- 
eral Constitution," assembled at the court-house 
in Exeter, on Wednesday, the thirteenth day of 
February, A. D. 1788. A majority of the mem- 
bers were undoubtedly opposed to the Constitu- 
tion. It has been alleged that before the dele- 
gates had been chosen, active Anti-Federalists^ 
had visited more or less of the towns which 
were ofp the more public lines of travel, and 
induced their citizens, who as yet knew little 



1 Those favoring and those 
opposing the ratification of the 
Constitution were respectively 



designated as Federalists and 
Anti-Federalists . 



FIRST sessio:n^. 23 

regarding its provisions, to instruct their dele- 
gates to vote against it.^ 

The talent of the Convention was decidedly 
on the side of the Federalists, and a majority of 
the ablest members were in ftivor of ratification.^ 
His Excellency John Sullivan, Hon. Samuel 
Livermore, Chief- Justice of the Superior Court, 
Hon. John Taylor Gilman, Hon. John Langdon, 
as well as other members of commanding influ- 
ence, were outspoken and earnest for its adop- 
tion. These all worked in harmony to that 
end. 

The opposition was led by Hon. Joshua Ath- 
erton, who was earnestly supported by Captain 
Charles Barrett, Hon. Abel Parker, Rev. Will- 
iam M. Hooper, Deacon Matthias Stone, and 
others. 

On the first day about fifty members were 
l^resent. These chose Hon. Josiah Bartlett 
chairman, and appointed Hon. Samuel Liver- 
more, Hon. John Taylor Gilman, and Benjamin 
West, Esq., a committee to examine the returns 
of the elections of the several members, and to 
prepare and report to the Convention a code of 

^Massachusetts Centinel, Feb. ^ Memoir of Joshua Atherton, 

27, 1788. by Hon. C. H. Atherton. 



24 FIRST SESSION^. 

rules for the regulation of its proceedings. They 
then adjourned to meet again the next day, at 
ten o'clock A. m. 

Thursday, February 14. Upon the reassem- 
bling of the Convention, about one hundred 
members were found to be present. It was per- 
manently organized by the choice of Hon. John 
Oalfe secretary, and His Excellency John Sulli- 
van president. At the close of the forenoon 
session it adjourned to meet again at the meet- 
ing-house,^ at three o'clock p. m., where the sub- 
sequent meetings of this session were held. 

In the afternoon the committee previously 
appointed reported the following rules, which 
were adopted by the Convention : 

1st. That as it is essential to the public interest, so it 
shall be considered and enjoyned as the Incumbent duty 
of each member of this Convention seasonably and 
punctually to attend in his place and not absent himself 
without leave. 

2d. That freedom of deliberation, speech and debate 
in the Convention be allowed to each member thereof ; 
yet no member shall by speech or behaviour in Conven- 
tion give just occasion of offence to another. 

3d. That any member disposed to make a motion or 

1 This occupied the site of the by which it was superseded in 
present meeting-house of the 1798. 
First Congregational Society, 



FIRST SESSION. 25 

speak to a matter in debate, shall rise from his seat and 
address the President : but on being called to order by 
the President, he shall be silent ; yet if such silenced 
member shall conceive himself injured thereby, the 
President shall take a vote of the Convention thereon, 
and such member shall submit to their determination. 

4th. No member shall speak more than twice to any 
subject in debate until each member have an opportu- 
nity to offer his opinion. 

5th. No motion from one member shall be received 
or debated unless seconded by another. 

6th. When a motion is regularly before the Conven- 
tion, it shall at any time, at the request of a member, 
be reduced to writing by the person making it. 

7th. On the question for adopting the Federal Consti- 
tution, and on that only, the j^eas and nays may be taken 
if desired by a member. 

8th. When it shall appear that any person returned 
is not legally chosen, he shall be dismissed. 

9th. That in determining any question the votes of a 
majority of the members present shall be necessary, 
excepting such members as may by the consent of the 
Convention be excused from voting, on their giving 
satisfactory reasons therefor. 

10th. That a motion to postpone any Question or to 
adjourn shall take place of any other motion. 

11th. That no vote be reconsidered when there is a 
less number of members present than there was at pass- 
ing the same. 

After ordering a iieAV town-meeting for the 
election of a delegate from IS^ewington, Mr. Liv- 
ermore moved to proceed to a consideration of the 



26 FIRST SESSIOj^. 

new Constitution by paragraphs. Mr. Pickering 
thereupon urged that it would be most expedient 
" to take a review of the old Constitution, point 
out its defects and the necessity of having a new 
one adopted, preparatory to any other proceed- 
ing." The Convention, however, did not concur 
in this opinion, and, having sustained Mr. Liver- 
more's motion, proceeded to the investigation of 
the proposed Constitution by paragraphs.^ 

The first section of the first article caused no 
discussion; but the second, providing for the 
election of representatives in congress for a term 
of two years, gave rise to an animated debate, 
which was continued through the remainder of 
the day and occupied a part of the next. Mr. 
Atherton vigorously opposed this section upon 
grounds similar to those which had been urged 
in the Massachusetts Convention. He was an- 
swered by Mr. Livermore, Mr. Langdon, Mr. 
Pickering, Rev. Dr. Langdon, and Rev. Mr. 
Thurston. 

The examination of the proposed Constitution 
thus commenced was continued from day to day, 
Sunday excepted, for the ensuing seven days. 
For a time the friends of the Constitution had 

'^Independent Chronicle and Universal Advertiser oi Feb. 21, 1788. 



FIRST SESSION. 



27 



hopes of securing its ratification without a recess 
of the Convention. Although the greater num- 
l:>er of the nieml)ers from the upper part of the 
state came clown rather opposed to its adoption, 
yet on the final question it was hoped that a 
majority would he found to favor it.^ But these 
hopes proved delusive. While some of the 
memhers, who came to the Convention instructed 
to vote against the Constitution, had been led by 
the discussions to a change of opinion and now 
favored it, they still felt bound by their instruc- 
tions, and frankly said that if a final vote was to 
be taken before they had opportunity to consult 
their constituents their vote would be adverse to 
ratification.' This would secure a rejection of 

^Massachusetts Centinel of Feb. stituents, be opposed its ratifica- 

23 1788. tion. — Secomb's Hist, of Amherst, 

2 At a legal town-meeting, P- ^^0- 

held in Warner on the twenty- j^^ ^j^-^ ^^^^ pj^^.^y feelings 

fourth day of January, 1788, it ^.^^^ ^-gj-^^ ^^^^^ strange to say, 

was " Voted not too Except the ^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^^g ^j^o l^ad been 

new Constitution."— i/rt/v/»ia?j's ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^.^gal govern- 

History of Warner, T^. 25'd. ^^^^^^^^ Ijecame most radical in 

In 1788 he [Joshua Atherton] their democracy. The oppos- 
was chosen a delegate to the ing candidates for the Conven- 
Convention to ratify or reject tion on its acceptance were Hon. 
the proposed Constitution of the Timothy Farrar, a strong Fed- 
United States. Acting upon eralist, and Hon. Charles Bar- 
his own convictions of right rett. After a hard struggle, the 
and the instructions of his con- latter was elected. He was 



28 riBST SESSIOI!^. 

the Constitution, and prejudice unfavorably its 
success in those states where conventions were 
yet to be held. At the same time the declara- 
tion indicated that some of them would array 
themselves with the friends of the new system 
of government, could they free themselves of the 
shackles which bound them. Under these cir- 
cumstances it seemed to the friends of the Con- 
stitution that the wisest course to be pursued 
was, — 

1st. To secure, if possible, a recess of the 
Convention. 

2d. During that time to effect, as far as prac- 
ticable, a change in public opinion favorable to 
the great cause which they had so much at 
heart, particularly in the towns represented by 
the delegates above mentioned. Their first 
effort, therefore, was to secure an adjournment 
to a future day sufficiently distant to give time 
for the contemplated effort. 

strongly opposed to the Consti- not to accept said Constitution, 

tution, and voted against it to and chose a committee of nine 

the last, often declaring that to give their delegates instruc- 

presidents wonld prove nothing tions to oppose its adoption by 

less than four-year-old kings, the Convention. The commit- 

and finally kings for life. — tee reported a list of objections, 

History of New Ipsicich, p. 116. which were by the town for- 

It was discussed in town- warded to the Convention.— 

meeting, and the town voted Fox's Hist, of Dunstable, i>. lUS. 



FIRST sessio:n^. 29 

Mr. Langdon accordingly introduced a resolu- 
tion to that effect, and urged its passage with 
his wonted force and eloquence. He was earn- 
estly oppposed by Mr. Atherton in a speech in 
which he pointed out objections to the adoption 
of the Constitution, and endeavored to show that 
the fruits of ratification would be " tyranny in 
the extreme and despotism with a vengeance." 
Mr. Hooper, Mr. Parker, and Deacon Manasseh 
Stone also opposed the resolution. The speech 
of Mr. Atherton was answered by Mr, Thurston. 
After a sharp debate, the resolution was carried 
by a slender majority of five, fifty-six having 
voted for and fifty-one against its adoption.^ 
This ended the first session, the Convention 
adjourning to meet at Concord on the eighteenth 
day of the following June.'' 

^Massach usetts Centinel, March great part of whom had instruc- 

i 1788 tions to vote agamst it. How- 
ever, after spending ten days on 

2 The reason for the coiu'se the arguments, a number of op- 
taken at this time by the Fed- ponents came to me and said 
eralists is very plainly stated they were convinced, and should 
in a letter of John Langdon to be very unhappy to vote against 
Rufus King, dated Feb. 23, the Constitution, which they 
1788. In it he says that " con- (however absurd) must do in 
trary to the expectation of al- case the question was called for. 
most every man of reflection at I therefore moved for the ad- 
our first meeting, a majority journment, which was carried, 
appeared against the plan, a though much opposed by the 



30 PIRST SESSION. 

That this adjournment was a decided victory 
of the friends of the Constitution, however at 
first generally regarded, was soon as plain as 
the daylight. It afforded time for an enlighten- 
ment of the people of the more inland towns, 
whose law-abiding communities, devoted almost 
wholly to agriculture, felt but little the impor- 
tance of the possession of enlarged power by the 
general government, and knew but little of the 
provisions of the proposed Constitution. 

However "absurd" the reasoning of these 
members may have been, it eventually secured to 
ISTew Hampshire the honor of being the ninth 
instead of the seventh state to ratify the Consti- 
tution. 

other side. This question deter- for their instructions." — Ban- 
mined a majority in favor of croft's Hist, of Constitution, vol. 
the Constitution, had it not been 2, p. 462. 




CHAPTEE lY. 

DURIISTG THE INTERIM. 

Friends of the Constitution at first disappointed 
hy the adjournment. Progress of Ratification 
in other states. Efforts of the Federalists 
during the recess. 

The adjournment of the ISTew Hampshh*e Con- 
vention without decisive action was the first 
check which the cause of an efl&cient national 
government had thus far encountered. It was, 
and very naturally, a source of discouragement 
to its friends in other parts of the country, and 
its influence upon the other Conventions yet to 
take action was somewhat feared. On the ninth 
of April, Gen. Henry Knox wrote to Gen. Sulli- 
van that " the unfortunate check which the new 
Constitution has received in l^Tew Hampshire 
has given new life and spirits to the opponents 
of the proposed system, and dampened the ardor 
of its friends." 



32 DUBIIirG THE INTERIM. 

But one of the closing paragraphs of the 
same letter shows the confidence in ultimate 
triumph in that state by the Federalists who 
were on the ground and knew the exact condi- 
tion of things there. "I am happy," says Knox, 
"that you have such confidence in the future 
conduct of your Convention. I hope to God 
you may not be disappointed."^ 

In fact, all who understood the reasons for 
the adjournment and the drift of public opinion 
in the state felt confident that the Convention 
would ratify the Constitution upon its reassem- 
bling in Jmie. But some ardent Federalists 
without the state did not understand these, or 
that the little majority of five, by which it was 
carried, indicated a victory and not a defeat. 
Some of these expressed their disappointment 
in words more censorious than kind. 

A writer in the Connecticut Gourant of March 
3, 1788, thus addresses the people of ]N"ew 
Hampshire : 

Though separated from the government of Britain 
at no less price than the blood of your bravest sons, 
you border on her dominions. She is our enemy, and 
wishes nothing more than your submission to her laws 

1 Amory's Life of John Sullivan, p. 232. 



DUEXNTG THE UNTTEEIM. 33 

and to the will of her proud servants. Her force may- 
be easily pointed through your whole territory, and 
a few regiments would effectually banish resistance. 
New Hampshire, though growing in population and 
among the first states in personal bravery, cannot yet 
stand alone. Should a disunion of the states tempt Brit- 
ain to make another effort for the recovery of her former 
greatness, you will be the first to fall under her sway. 
In such event, you will have nothing to expect from 
the other states. Dispirited in a fruitless attempt to 
unite in some plan of general government and protec- 
tion, they will say, Let the dissenting states abide the 
consequences of their own false opinions. Though 
such a reply might not be wise, it would be exactly 
conformable to what we have found in human nature, 
and nature will ever have its course, let policy be what 
it may. 

But nearer home the true situation was better 
understood. On the twenty-seventh of Febru- 
ary, six days after the adjournment, the Massa- 
chusetts Centinel, a paper which kept itself ac- 
curately informed of the action of our Conven- 
tion, gave to its readers a full account of the 
cause and object of the adjourmnent, under an 
illustrated caption consisting of six upright 
columns, inscribed respectively Delaware, Penn- 
sylvania, N^ew Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, 
Massachusetts, and of a seventh half way up 
representing ^ew Hampshire, to which was 



34 DURING THE INTERIM. 

attached the motto, " It will rise." It closes its 
article by saying, — 

We may venture to assert that the cause of Federal- 
ism in New Hampshire wiU not suffer a diminution, 
and that their pillar of the Federal Edifice, though 

NOW IT KESTETH, WILL MOST ASSUREDLY EISE.^ 

Thus far the Constitution had been ratified 
by six of the nine states required to render it 
operative, — by Delaware, December 6, 1787, by 
a unanimous vote ; by Pennsylvania, December 
12, 1787, by a vote of forty-six to twenty-three, 
or two to one ; by ISTew Jersey, December 18, 
1787, and by Georgia, January 2, 1788, by 
unanimous votes of the Conventions of both 
states ; by Connecticut, January 9, 1788, by a 
vote of one hundred and twenty-eight yeas to 
forty nays, or more than three to one 5 and by 
Massachusetts, February 6, 1788, where the yeas 
had been one hundred and eighty-seven and the 
nays one hundred and sixty-eight, a majority of 

1 A favorite illustration of these were connected with one 

the progress of ratification by another by semi-circular lines, 

the different states adopted by indicating arches, the head of 

the newspapers of the time was each being ornamented by a 

a row of perpendicular columns star. Appropriate mottoes in 

inscribed with the names of the poetry or Latin often enhanced 

states which had ratified the the attractiveness of these illus- 

Constitution. The capitals of trations. 



DURrN^G THE INTERIM. 35 

nineteen. In other words, in three of these 
states ratification had been carried nnanimously, 
and in the three others it had received three 
hundred and sixty-one out of an aggregate of 
five hundred and ninety-two votes, or sixty per 
cent, of this last mentioned number. 

What infiuence the small majority for the 
Constitution so recently given by Massachusetts 
may have had in ]Yew Hampshire it is impos- 
sible now to say. That it was of considerable 
potency may be fairly inferred from the close 
proximity and intimate relations of the two 
states. 

During the recess, the Federalists of IS^ew 
Hampshire were active in their exertions in 
behalf of ratification. " While the long winter 
intercepted the labors of husbandry, the firesides 
of the freeholders in its hundreds of townships 
became the scene for discussing the merits of 
the Federal Constitution, with the delegates of 
their choice and with one another." ^ 

They were greatly cheered by the results of 
the Conventions held in Maryland and South 
Carolina, — in the first of which ratification was 
carried on the twenty-sixth day of April by a 

1 Bancroft's History of the Constitution, vol. 2, p. 318. 



36 DUEIN^G THE Il^TERIM. 

vote of sixty to eleven, nearly six to one ; and 
in the latter by one hundred and forty-one to 
sixty-three, or about two to one. Mr. Bancroft 
says that "when the astounding news reached 
ISTew Hampshire, her people grew restless to be 
the state yet needed to assure the new bond of 
union, but for that palm she must run a race 
with Yirginia." ^ 

^ Bancroft's History of the Constitution, vol. 2, p. 294. 




CHAPTER Y. 

SECOND SESSION^ OF THE C0XVENTI0:N". 

General interest in its proceedings. First and 
second days. Appointment of a coynmittee to 
propose amendments. Mr. Athertoii's motion, 
to ratify conditionally, defeated. Judge Liv- 
ermore's motion. Motion to adjourn defeated. 
The main question put. The final vote. 

On the eighteenth day of June, 1788, agree- 
ably to its adjournment, the Convention reassem- 
bled in the old ISTorth Meeting House in Con- 
cord, with a full knowledge that the favorable 
action of but one more state was requisite to 
render operative the new constitution. Many of 
the members came from constituencies whose 
sentiments had grown more favorable to ratifica- 
tion during the previous few months. The Vir- 
ginia Convention had l3een in session since the 
sixth of the month, and that of l!^ew York had 



38 SECOI^T) SESSION". 

come together on the seventeenth. Yarions 
considerations had delayed final action in the 
former, and there had yet been no time for it in 
the latter. 

Should the little mountainous state of ^ew 
Ham23shire, the uppermost of the whole thirteen, 
which skirted the Atlantic coast from the frozen 
north to the sunny south, dare contest with these 
two great commonwealths the honor of inau- 
gurating the most important government of 
modern times — an honor which was to grow 
brighter and more bright as the decades and the 
centuries rolled on? Should she aspire to become 
the key-stone of the great national arch, which 
it now only lacked to become self-sustaining? 

So great was the interest in the result of this 
session of the ^N'ew Hampshire Convention, that 
persons from different sections of the state, as 
well as others from beyond its borders, flocked 
to Concord, and, filling the wide galleries of the 
old meeting-house from day to day, watched the 
proceedings with breathless interest. Gen. Sul- 
livan, John Langdon, then governor-elect of the 
state. Judge Livermore, supported by the fifty 
and odd members in sympathy with them, were 
not the men to neglect a grand opportunity. 



SECOND sessio:n^. 39 

The opponents of the Constitution, led by Joshua 
Atherton, but less ably supported than were the 
leaders of the Federalists, were active, strong, 
and determined. A contest, to be as valiantly 
fought as its issue proved glorious, now began, 
and God was doubtless invoked to aid the right. 

Wednesday, June IStli. The first day of the 
Convention was occupied in the settlement of 
disputed claims to seats, and in a general dis- 
cussion of the Constitution. 

Thursday, June 19th. The second day was 
mainly devoted to a general discussion similar 
to that of the day before. 

Friday, June 20th. During the forenoon of 
the third day, a connnittee of fifteen, consisting 
of John Langdon of Portsmouth, Mr. Bartlett,^ 
Joseph Badger of Gilmanton, John Sullivan 
of Durham, Joshua Atherton of Amherst, 
Thomas Dow of Salem, Benjamin Bellows of 
Walpole, Benjamin West of Charlestown, Sam- 
uel Livermore of Holderness, Francis Worcester 
of Plymouth, Abel Parker of Jafii-ey, John 

1 There were two Bartletts Nottingham. The records do 

in the (Convention, \iz., Hon. not indicate which of these was 

Josiah IJartlett of Kingston, a member of this committee. It 

and Thomas Bartlett, Esq., of was probably the former. 



40 SECOISTD SESSION. 

Pickering of Portsmouth, Mr. Smith/ William 
Hooper of Maclbury, and Charles Barrett of 
'New Ipswich, were appointed " to consider and 
report npon such articles as they shall think 
proper to be proposed as amendments to the 
Federal Constitution, and lay the same before 
this Convention." 

At the afternoon session, Mr. Langdon, for the 
committee, made a report recommending twelve 
amendments.^ This report was accepted, and 
the amendments were adopted by the Conven- 
tion. Mr. Atherton then moved "that this 
Convention ratify the proposed Constitution, 
together with the amendments, but that said 
Constitution do not operate in New Hampshire 
without said amendments," and his motion was 
seconded by Mr. Parker. 

This motion of Mr. Atherton's marks the be- 
ginning of the final struggle. It proved sharp, 
brief, and conclusive. The Federalists saw 
instantly that the adoption of Mr. Atherton's 
motion was tantamount to a rejection of the Con- 
stitution by New Hampshire, and would be fatal 

1 Neither does it appear by designated to serve upon this 

the Journal whether Col. Eben- committee. It was most likely 

ezer Smith of Meredith, or Mr. the former. 

Jonathan Smith of Loudon, was ^ gee page 49. 



SECON^D SESSION. 41 

to all their hopes. After some debate, Mr. Liv- 
ermore, who was as clear-headed and vigilant as 
he was ready and earnest, made a motion, which 
was seconded by Mr. Bartlett, " to postpone the 
motion made by Mr. Atherton, to make way for 
the following motion, viz.. That in case the Con- 
stitution be adopted, that the amendments re- 
ported by the committee be recommended to 
congress — which motion of Mr. Atherton being- 
postponed, adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow 
morning." ^ 

This was a test vote, and indicated clearly the 
feeling of the Convention. The majority, though 
small, was unmistakably for ratification. But 
Mr. Atherton and his friends were not yet sat- 
isfied, and the contest was to continue a little 
longer. 

SatuTday, June 21. Upon the reassembling 
of the Convention, the unfinished deJjate of the 
day before was resumed. Pending this, Mr. 
Atherton moved " that the Convention adjourn 
to some future day." Mr. Hooper seconded the 
motion, but it was negatived by the Convention. 
Thereupon a motion was made by Mr. Liver- 
more, and seconded by Mr. Langdon, " that the 

iProv. State Papers, vol. 10, p. 18. 



42 SECOND sessio:n'. 

main question be now put for the adoption of the 
Constitution." The supreme moment had now 
come. As the roll-call proceeded, Messrs. 
Langdon, Pickering, Long, Gilman, Blanchard, 
Adams, Weeks, Goss, Present, Thurston, Top- 
pan, Langdon of Hampton Falls, Wiggin, Fogg, 
Rogers, T. Bartlett, Chadwick, Gray, Glidden, 
Calfe, Bettan, Moody, Green, Sullivan, Carr, 
Hale, Bedee, Shannon, Wilkins, Morss, Gerrish, 
West, Shepherd, Hall, Whitcomb, Chamberlain, 
Temple, Bellows, Chase, Griffin, Kimball, Liv- 
ermore, J. Bartlett, Panney, Chesley, .Hall, 
Dakin, Abbot, "Worster, Crawford, Johnson, 
Freeman, Payne, Simpson, Patterson, Young, 
and Weeks, answered Yea; — 57 Yeas. 

Messrs. Punnels, McMurphy, B, Clough, J. 
Clough, Sias, Smith, Emery, Fifield, Chase, 
Sleeper, B. Stone, Thomas Dow, Steward, 
Palmer, Harper, Badger, Hooper, Austin, Page, 
Cummings, D. Bixby, Hunt, Taylor, Dole, 
Page, Kindrick, Atherton, Barrett, T. Bixby, 
Jones, Cragin, Cochran, Jona. Dow, Green, 
Bean, Gaskill, Parker, Harvey, Thomas, M. 
Stone, Pemmelee, Grout, True, Penniman, 
Tainter, Winch, Hutchins, answered ^ay; — 47 
]^ays. 



SECOISTD SESSIOIf. 



43 



And Messrs. Daniels, Ebenezer Smith, Web- 
ster, and Jonathan Smith, marked in Jonrnal as 
present, did not vote;^ — 4. Thus the Federal 



1 Where these four gentlemen 
were at the time the vote was 
taken, or why they did not vote, 
we are miable to say. There 
is a pretty well authenticated 
tradition that a certain prom- 
inent Federalist of Concord 
gave a dinner party on the last 
day of the session, at which sev- 
eral members, reckoned as op- 
posed to ratification, were pres- 
ent, and discussing the dinner, 
when the final vote was taken. 

The following letter from 
Hon. G. W. Nesmith throws 
light upon the course taken on 
this occasion by Col. Ebenezer 
Webster : 

August 2.5, 1888. 

Friend Walker : I send 
down to you such information 
as I have in relation to Judge 
Ebenezer Webster, who acted 
as a delegate from Salisbury in 
the Convention of 1788, called 
to ratify the United States Con- 
stitution. The records I fur- 
nish are authentic. The state- 
ment as to the conduct of Judge 
Webster, in declining to vote 
for the ratification of the Con- 
stitution, is founded upon tradi- 
tion, and is, of course, made, 
subject to some doubt. 



At a tqwn-meeting holden on 
the 16th day of February, A. D. 
1788, Capt. Ebenezer Webster 
was chosen moderator of said 
meeting. 

'* Voted to choose a Delegate 
to meet in Convention at Exe- 
ter to consult or take in consid- 
eration the Constitution as pro- 
posed by the Federal Conven- 
tion. 

" Ebenezer Webster was ap- 
pointed Delegate. 

" Proceeded to choose a Com- 
mittee to consult and advise 
with said Delegate in relation 
to the proposed Convention. 
Joseph Bean, Esq., Jonathan 
Fifield, Jonathan Cram, Capt. 
Luke Wilder, John Collins, Ed- 
ward Eastman, Ensign John C. 
Gale, Capt. Robt. Smith, Leon- 
ai'd Judkins, Deacon Jacob 
True, John Smith, Lt. Bean, 
Lt. Jos. Severance were chosen 
said Committee." 

The aforesaid committee was 
selected from the early and in- 
fluential settlers of Salisbury, 
and were the neighbors and 
friends of Capt. Webster. The 
Convention met in February at 
Exeter, and after a long debate 
came to no decisive vote : ad- 



44 



SECOI^D SESSIOJS". 



Constitution was ratified by 'New Hampshire by 
a majority often votes. 

A local analysis of this vote may be interest- 
ing. A division of the state into northern and 
southern sections by a line running along the 
south shore of Winnepesaukee lake and contin- 
uing west to Connecticut river, and a further 



journed to meet at Concord in 
the following month of June. 
A short time before the Con- 
vention met at Concord, Judge 
Webster had an interesting in- 
terview with his committee at 
Salisbury, when the merits and 
demerits of the Constitution 
were discussed. Our informa- 
tion is derived from an intelli- 
gent son of one of that commit- 
tee. He remarked that Judge 
Webster favored the adoption 
of the U. S. Constitution, as it 
offered many advantages over 
the confederacy, and cured many 
of the defects of that form of 
government. Moreover, Wash- 
ington, in whoni he had im- 
plicit confidence, had labored 
hard to bring it into existence, 
and he was willing to trust to 
his wise counsels and action 
always. But the opinion of the 
Advisory Committee, or a ma- 
jority of them, was adverse to 
the new Constitution. The 
strongest and leading argument 
urged agamst it was derived 



from the fact that the Constitu- 
tion sanctioned or tolerated hu- 
man slavery. Hon. Jos. Ather- 
ton, of Amherst, had used this 
argument in opposition to its 
ado]3tion with much force and 
effect. It was difficult to meet 
and overcome the power and 
influence of his reasoning on 
this topic, when it was in close 
union and deep sympathy with 
the great majority of the North- 
ern people. It is not surprising 
that we find, according to the 
Records of the Convention, that 
Judge Webster did not vote 
at all, when the final vote of 
delegates was taken in Conven- 
tion. We do find him a strong- 
supporter of the Constitution 
after its adoption, and early one 
of the electors of Washington, 
appointed by the people of this 
state, to the presidency. Mr. 
Webster was state senator, elect- 
ed by the people of Hillsborough 
county in 1786-90. 
Truly yours, 

Geo. W. Nesmith. 



SECOND SESSIO]^. 45 

division of the latter into south-eastern and 
south-western sections by Merrimack river, will 
render such an analysis easy. 

The votes cast by delegates were, — 

From the south-eastern, 48 

For the Constitution, 30 

Against it, 18 

Majority for it, 12 

From the south-western, 42 

For the Constitution, 16 

Against it, 26 

Majority against it, 10 

From the northern, 14 

For the Constitution, 11 

Against it, 3 

Majority for it, 8 

The south-eastern section comprised the old- 
est part of 'New Hampshire : its interests were, 
to some extent, commercial, and many parts of 
it were in near proximity to the most frequented 
lines of travel to other states. Here the provi- 
sions of the Constitution were best understood, 



46 SEOOIO) SESSION. 

and the necessity of a national g-overnment of 
enlarged powers was most strongly felt. Its 
vote, therefore, causes no surprise. 

The towns of the south-western section, for 
the most part off the general lines of travel, 
whose settlements were more recent, and whose 
people were devoted almost entirely to agricult- 
ure, felt less the want of a vigorous general 
govermnent than did their neighbors across the 
Merrimack. Their vote, therefore, awakens lit- 
tle surprise.^ 

But it is surprising that the northern section, 
by far the most remote, and the newest, which 
felt but faintly the pulsations of outside opin- 
ion, should, out of a total vote of only fourteen, 
have given a majority for the Constitution less 
by only two than that of the whole state. This 
fact was doubtless very largely due to the great 
influence of Judge Livermore. It was his sec- 
tion, and his neighbors naturally followed his 
lead in the Convention. 
J If we examine the vote on ratification with 

^A recent writer has remarked be found that most of the oppo- 

that if a line be drawn through sition to the Constitution came 

the original thirteen states par- from the section west of it, and 

allel to and fifty miles distant its greatest support from that 

from the Atlantic coast, it will east of it. 



SECOND SESSION. 47 

reference to the whole population of the state, ' 
assuming this to be the same as shown two years 
afterwards by the census of 1790, from which it 
could not greatly vary, it will appear that the 
fifty-seven delegates who voted for ratification 
represented seventy-six thousand and ninety- 
one persons, that the forty-seven delegates who 
voted against it represented fifty-seven thousand 
six hundred and forty-one, and that the four 
who did not vote represented eight thousand 
two hundred and eighty-seven; or, in other 
words, that of the population represented in the 
final vote, not quite fifty-seven per cent, was 
carried for the support of the Constitution, and 
a little over forty- three per cent, against it. 
By counties it stood as follows: 





For. 


Against. 


jRocMngham, 


26,728 


, 14,252 


Straftord, 


12,812 


9,893 


Hillsborough, 


8,730 


19,819 


Cheshire, 


15,621 


12,405 


Grafton, 


12,200 


1,272 




76,091 


57,641 



CHAPTEK YI. 

CLOSING WORK OF THE CONYE]N^TION. 

The formal announcement to Congress of its 
action hy the Convention. The leaders of the 
two parties. 

The only business now remaining was for the 
Convention to prepare a formal announcement 
of its action, to be transmitted to the congress 
of the United States. By whom this, was to be 
drafted, whether by the officers of the Conven- 
tion or by a committee appointed for the pur- 
pose, the Journal does not say. It simply re- 
cords the connnunication, which was as follows : 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

In Convention of the Delegates of the People of the 
State of New Hampshire, June 21^*, 1788 : — 

The Convention having impartially discussed and 
fully considered the Constitution for the United States 
of America, reported to Congress by the Convention of 
Delegates from the United States of America, and sub- 
mitted to us by a Resolution of the General Court of 



CLOSEN^G WORK. 49 

said State passed the fourteenth day of December last 
past, and acknowledging with grateful hearts the Good- 
ness of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe in affording 
the People of the United States, in the course of his 
Providence, an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, 
without fraud or surprise, of entering into an explicit 
and solemn compact with each other, by assenting to 
and ratifying a new Constitution, in order to form a 
more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 
tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote 
the general welfare and secure the blessings of Liberty 
to themselves and their posterity. Do in the name and 
in behalf of the people of the State of New Hampshire, 
assent to and ratify the said Constitution for the United 
States of America ; and as it is the opinion of this Con- 
vention, that certain amendments and alterations in the 
said Constitution would remove the fears and quiet the 
apprehensions of many of the good people of this State, 
and more effectually guard against an undue adminis- 
tration of the federal Government, the Convention do 
therefore recommend that the following alterations and 
provisions be introduced into the said Constitution : 

First, That it be explicitly declared that all powers 
not expressly and particularly delegated by the afore- 
said Constitution, are reserved to the several States to 
be by them exercised. 

Secondly, That there shall be one Representative to 
every thirty Thousand persons according to the Census 
mentioned in the Constitution, until the whole number 
of Representatives amounts to two hundred. 

Thirdly, That Congress do not exercise the power 
vested in them by the fourth Section of the first Article, 
but in cases when a State shall neglect or refuse to 



50 CLOSING WORK. 

make the regulations therein mentioned, or shall make 
regulations subversive of the rights of the people to a 
free and equal representation in Congress, nor shall 
Congress in any case make regulations contrary to a 
free and equal representation. 

Fourthly, That Congress do not lay direct Taxes 
but when the money arising from the impost excise and 
their other resources are insufficient for the public exi- 
gencies ; nor then, until Congress shall have first made 
a requisition upon the States to assess. Levy and pay 
their respective proportions of such requisition agreea- 
bly to the census fixed in the said Constitution, in such 
■W3i,j and manner as the Legislature of the State shall 
think best ; and in such case, if any State shall neglect, 
then Congress may assess and Levy such State's propor- 
tion, together with the interest thereon at the rate of 
six pr. cent pr. Annum from the time of payment pre- 
scribed in such requisition. 

Fifthly, That Congress erect no company of Mer- 
chants with exclusive advantages of commerce. 

Sixthly, That no person shall be tried for any crime 
by which he may incur an infamous punishment or loss 
of life until he be first indicted by a grand jury — except 
in such cases as may arise in the government and 
regulation of the land and naval forces. 

Seventhly, All common law cases between citizens of 
different States shall be commenced in the Common 
Law Courts of the respective States, and no appeal shall 
be allowed to the federal Courts in such cases, unless 
the sum or value^ of the thing in controversy amount to 
three hundred dollars. 

Eighthly, In civil actions between citizens of differ- 
ent States, every issue of fact arising in actions at com- 



CLOSING WORK. 51 

mon law, shall be tried by a jury if the parties or either 
of them request it. 

Ninthly, Congress shall at no time consent that any 
person holding an office of trust or profit under the 
United States, shall accept a title of nobility or any 
other title or office, from any king, prince or foreign 
State. 

Tenthly, That no standing army shall be kept up in 
time of peace, unless with the consent of three fourths 
of the members of each branch of Congress ; nor shall 
soldiers in a time of peace, be quartered upon private 
houses without the consent of the owners. 

Eleventhly, Congress shall make no Laws touching 
religion or to infringe the rights of conscience. 

Twelfthly, Congress shall never disarm any citizen, 
unless such as are or have been in actual rebellion. 

And the Convention do, in the name and in behalf of 
the people of this State enjoin it upon their Represent- 
atives in Congress, at all times, until the alterations and 
provisions aforesaid have been considered, agreeably 
to the fifth article of the said Constitution, to exert all 
their Influence and use all reasonable and legal methods 
to obtain a Ratification of the said alterations and pro- 
visions in such manner as is provided in the said article. 

And that the United States in Congress Assembled 
may have due notice of the assent and ratification of 
the said Constitution by this Convention : — 

It is Resolved, That the assent and ratification afore- 
said, be engrossed on parchment, together with the 
recommendation and Injunction aforesaid, and with this 
Resolution ; and that John Sullivan Esq^ President of 
Convention, and John Langdon, Esq^". President of 
the State, transmit the same countersigned by the Sec- 



52 CLOSrt^G WORK. 

retary of Convention and the Secretary of the State 
under their hands and seals, to the United States in 
Congress assembled. 

JOHN CALFE, Secretary. 

It would be invidious, perhaps, to name any 
one as the leader in this Convention, in which 
were gathered so many of the prominent members 
of this party. John Sullivan, the governor of 
the state during its first session, was there, bold, 
active, influential. So, too, was John Langdon, 
governor during its second session. He was one 
of the Constitution's most earnest friends, and 
contributed the whole force of his incessant 
efforts and magnetic oratory to its support. In 
it also was Judge Livermore, chief-justice of the 
superior court, able, acute, calm, and sagacious. 

It would be fair to say that these three men 
formed a Federal trio in the Convention, more 
influential and able than any other which could 
have been constituted from its other members. 
And still further may it be said, that notwith- 
standing the inestimable services of their asso- 
ciates, among whom were Pickering, Gilman, 
Bartlett, Bellows, and others of commanding 
influence, it is also fair to say, that, in the vital 
struggle of the last two days, Judge Livermore 



CLOSrN^G WORK. 



53 



was clearly the leader of the Federal force in the 
Convention. 

Of the opponents of the Constitution, Joshua 
Atherton was undoubtedly and easily the chief. 
He was the only man among them capable of 
sustaining anything like an even contest with 
Judge Livermore, but he was less ably sup- 
ported. Without him the Anti-Federalists 
would have been weak indeed. 




CHAPTEE YII. 

SPREAD OF THE NEWS OF RATIFICATION BY 
THE NINTH STATE. 

Celebrations and rejoicings at Portsmouth, Bos- 
ton, Salem, Providence, Newport, and else- 
loliere. 

The vote on ratifieation was taken on Satur- 
day, June 21, at one o'clock p. m.^ Immediately 
after its announcement John Langdon wrote to 
Grovernor Hancock of Massachusetts, " The 
Convention of this state have this moment 
adopted the ucav Constitution — Yeas, 57; ^^ys, 
46."^ On the same day he wrote similar 



1 They took care to insert in the honor of giving life to the 



theu- record that their vote was 
taken on Saturday, the twenty- 
fii'st of June, at one o'clock in 
the afternoon, that Virginia at 
a later hour of the same day 
might not dispute with them 



new Constitution . — Bancroft's 
Hist. Con., vol. 2, p. 318. 

^N. H. State Papers, vol. 10, 
p. 22. 

The Journal says 47 votes. 



CELEBRATIONS. 55 

letters to Kufns King- and to Alexander Ham- 
ilton. ^ 

In antieipation of the ratifieation of the Con- 
stitution, Gen. Sullivan and Gen. Knox had 
arranged for an express across the country to 
bear the news to the 'New York Convention, 
then in session at Poughkee])sie, and to that of 
Virginia, at RichinoiuL The welcome intelli- 
gence reached the former on the twenty-fourth, 
but was not received by the latter until after the 
twenty-sixth, on which day, as the tenth state, it 
passed its vote of ratification by a majority of 
ten. 

The news of the ratification of the Constitu- 
tion by the ninth state was everywhere received 
with demonstrations of delight. "As the glad 
tidings flew through the land, the heart of its 
people thrilled with joy that at last the tree of 
union was firmly planted." ^ 

The following account of the celebration in 
Portsmouth, to which the news of the ratifica- 
tion gave rise, is taken almost verbatun from the 
JVew Hampshire Gazette and General Advertiser 
of June 26, 1788: 

'^Bancroft's Hist. Con., vol. 2, ^Bancroft's Hist. Con., vol. 2, 

p. 471. " " p. .318. 



56 CELEBEATIOIirS. 

2[^^ THE NINTH AND SUFFICIENT PILLAB BAISED. 
^'- Fame claps her wings and Sounds it to the jSkies 



r" 




Portsmouth, June 26. On Sunday morning last we 
received the agreeable and interesting intelligence of 
the Ratification of the new Constitution by the Con- 
vention of this state, whereby we have, in effect, laid 
the top stone to the grand Federal Edifice, and 
happily raised the Ninth Pillar. The joy which this 
event diffused through all ranks of citizens in this 
Metropolis is hardly conceivable : 



" (Toy sat on every face without a cloud, 
As in the days of opening Paradise." 

Mutual congratulations took place, and public thanks 
were returned in all the churches. It being Lord's Day, 
no other testimonials of joy took place until Monday 
morning, at one o'clock, at which time the bells rang a 



CELEBRATIONS. 5< 

joyful peal. Several citizens paraded the streets with 
miisick, saluting the members of the Convention (who 
had returned from Concord), other patriotic charac- 
ters, &c. 
******* 

President Langdon, on Monday afternoon, on his 
arrival at Greenland, from Concord, was met by Col. 
Wentworth's Corps of Independent Horse, Capt. Wood- 
ward's Company of Artillery, and Col. Hill's Company 
of .Foot, together with a large number of Gentlemen in 
Carriages and on horseback, and escorted into town. 

What added greatly to the brilliancy of the scene 
was the appearance of a great number of ladies, whose 
smiling countenances bespoke that congeniality of sen- 
timent which ever ought to subsist between the sons 
and daughters of Adam. 

Thursday being the day appointed to celebrate the 
Ratification of the Federal Constitution by the State 
of New Hampshire, a numerous concourse of the inhab- 
itants of Portsmouth and the neighbouring towns being 
assembled on the Parade, about eleven o'clock an armed 
ship was espied from the State House bearing down 
under full sail: being hailed on her approach, she 
proved to be the ship Union, Thomas Manning, Esq., 
Commander, from Concord, out five days, bound to the 
Federal City, all well and in good spirits. About a 
quarter past eleven she dropt anchor, and having re- 
ceived pilot on board, got under way and joined the 
procession, which moved in the following order : 

A band of Musick in an open coach and six horses, 
decorated. Husbandmen. A plough drawn by nine 
yoke of Oxen. 

A man Sowing. A Harrow. 



58 CELEBRATIONS. 

Reapers, Thrashers, Mowers, Ha^aiiakers, each with 
their proper implements. 

A man swingling flax. A cart gathering in harvest. 

Blacksmiths and Nailers, with their forges, anvils, 
and sledges at work. 

Shipwrights with their tools. Caulkers. 

Rope makers with a spinning wheel and hemp round 
their waists, occupied. 

Riggers, Mast-Makers, Ship Joiners, Block Makers. 

Mathematical Instrument Makers with an azimuth 
compass. 

Boat Builders at work on a boat nearly completed. 

Carvers, Painters, Glaziers and Plumbers. 

Coopers trimming casks. 

Cullers of Fish. Stowadores. 

Pilots with Spy Glasses and Charts. 

The Ship "^^"^ Union 
completely ^^^^g rigged and armed 

and manned, under an easy sail, with colors flying, ele- 
vated on a carriage drawn by nine horses ; a tenth, 
(emblematical of Virginia) completely harnessed, led 
and ready to join the rest. 

Ship Captains with their quadrants. Seamen. 

Shoremen, Truckmen, Millers. 

Bakers, preceded by a flag displaying the bakers' 
arms. 

Butchers, Tanners, and Curriers. 

Cordwainers with their lasts decorated. 

Tallow Chandlers, Tailors, Barbers. 

Hatters, Housewrights, Masons. 

Cabinet Makers and Wheelwrights. 

Saddlers and Chaise Trimmers. 



CELEBRATIONS. 59 

Upholsterers, Goldsmiths, Jewelers, and Silversmiths. 

Clock and Watchmakers. 

Copper Smiths, Whitesmiths, Brass founders. 

Tinmen, with nine pillars and stars on a pedestal. 

Potters with a table and wheel at work, nine pillars 
erected. 

Brickmakers burning a kiln, others moulding bricks. 

Leather Dressers. Cardmakers with cards. 

Printers, preceded by two lads with open quires of 
printed paper, followed with cases and apparatus deco- 
rated; Compositors at Work; Pressmen, with Mr. Ben- 
jamin Dearborn's new invented printing press (named 
the American press), employed during the whole proces- 
sion in striking off, and distributing among the sur- 
rounding multitude, Songs in celebration of the Ratifi- 
cation of the Federal Constitution by the State of New 
Hampshire. 

MOTTO. 
"^ Government of Freemen never knows 
A Tyrant's shackles on the Press f imposed 

Consuls, Merchants, and Traders. 

The boys of the different Schools with the insignia of 
their studies, decorated. 

The Terrestrial Globe rectified for New Hampshire 
(and decorated by a company of young ladies who are 
in the study of Geography), carried by two lads in uni- 
form. In the decorations each state was distinguished; 
New Hampshire in the Zenith, and Rhode Island on the 
Western horizon, in mourning. 

The Masters of the Schools. 

MOTTO. 
" Where the bright beams of FedWal freedom glow, 
The buds of science in full beauty blow." 



60 CELEBKATION^S. 

Clergy, Physicians, and Surgeons. 

Sheriff, preceded by his Deputies. 

Judges of Common Law and Admiralty Courts. 

Clerks of Courts. Gentlemen of the Bar supporting 
the Federal Constitution. 

The President of the State and President of the Con- 
vention. 

Secretaries of the State and Convention. 

Members of the Convention. 

Members of the Legislature. 

Treasurer and Commissary General. 

Militia Officers in Uniform. 

Every profession was distinguished by some insignia 
or badge, peculiar to it : the procession moved on 
through all the principal streets of the town, the band 
playing, and singing the Federal Song, " It comes, it 
comes," and after saluting the President of the State 
and the President and members of the Convention, at 
their respective lodgings with nine guns each, from the 
ship, the procession moved on to Union Hill, where a 
cold collation was provided, the band of musick playing 
during the repast, and the ship lying to with a man at 
the mast head, sent to spy out the ship Viegikia, 
which was hourly expected to join the rest of the fleet. 

After dinner toasts were drank, after which was fired 
a salute of nine guns, which was returned by three 
cheers, and immediately after the firing the songs were 
sung accompanied by the band. The Procession then 
formed and returned in the same order they came, and 
on their return were saluted with thirteen guns from 
the Artillery. On their arrival at the State-House, a 
federal salute was fired from the ship, returned with 
three cheers which ended the procession. The ship 



CELEBRATIONS. 61 

proceeding on her destined voyage, again fired a Fed- 
eral Salute as she passed His Excellency's Seat. 

In the evening the State-House was beautifully illu- 
minated with nine candles in each window, while a large 
company of ladies and gentlemen, formed in a semi- 
circle, were entertained by the band from the balcony. 

Language is too poor to describe the nniversal jog that 
gloived in every countenance. 'Tis enough to say that the 
brilliancy and festivity of the evening ivere only equalled 
by the decorum atid hilarity of the day. 

The following was one of the songs sung on 
this occasion: 

SONG. 

To the tune, " He comes, He comes." 
I. 
It comes, it comes ! high raise the song ! 
The bright procession moves along. 
From pole to pole resomid the Nine, 
And distant worlds the chorus join. 

II. 

In vain did Britain forge the chain, 
While comitless squadrons hid the plain, 
Hajsttonia, foremost of the Nine, 
Defy'd their force and took Burgoyne. 

ni. 

To the tune " Smile, smile, Britannia !" 

When Peace resumed her seat. 
And Freedom seemed secure. 
Our patriot sages met, 
That freedom to insure : 



62 CELEBKATIONS. 

Then every eye on us was turned, 
And every breast indignant burned. 

IV. 

That haughty race (they said) 

All government despise ; 

Skilled in the martial trade, 

More valiant far than wise, 

Though Pallas lead them in the field. 

Her aid in Council is withheld. 

V. 

False charge ! (the Goddess cried) 

I made each hardy son. 

Who in war's purple tide 

First laid the Coenee Stone, 

His utmost energy employ 

To bring the Top Stone forth with joy. 

VI. 

To the first tune, " He comes, ^c." 

'T is done, the glorious fabric 's reared ! 
Still be New Hampslure's sons revered ! 
"Who fiixed its base in blood and scars 
And stretched its Tueeets to the stars. 

VII. 

To the tune, " When Britons first, Sfc." 

See each industrious art moves on 
To ask protection, praise and fame ; 
The Ploughman by his tools is known, 
And Vulcan, Neptune, join their claim : 
Allow them all and wisely prove, 
Naught can exist long without Love. 



oelebratio:n^s. 63 

vin. 

Love binds in peace the universe ; 

By Love Societies combine ; 

Love prompts the poets' rapturous verse 

And makes their humble lays divine ; 

Then Shout for Union, heaven born dame ! 

And crown the goblet to her name. 

IX. 

To the first tune. 
May New Hampshire's Sons in Peace and War, 
Supremely great ! both laurels wear, 
From every rival bear the prize, 
Till the last blaze involves the skies ! 

ISov was the joy caused by this great event 
confined to I^ew Hampshire. The lyidependent 
Chronicle and U^iiversal Advertiser, of Boston, 
thus speaks of it in its issue of June 2(3, 1788: 

THE NINTH PILLAR HRECTED! 

The ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall 
he sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution, 
between the States so ratifying the same. Art. VII. 

Incipient Magni Procedere Menses. 

The arrival of Mr. Reed, on Sunday last, from Con- 
cord, New Hampshire, with the news of the adoption of 
the New Federal S3^stem by the Convention of that 
State, at two o'clock P. M. on Saturday last, diffused 
unusual joy through all ranks in this Metropolis, — as by 
this great event, the Federal Edifice is reared, and the 
future good government of the States in general secured 
to the people. 



i- 



64 CELEBRATIONS. 

The bells of tlie several churches on Monday morning- 
testified to the pleasure which filled the breast of every 
citizen, on this pleasing event. 

The inhabitants of Roxbury also testified to their 
extreme pleasure on the arrival of this important intel- 
ligence by the same demonstrations of joy. 

There were similar celebrations at Salem, Prov- 
idence, ]N^ewport, and elsewhere. That at Salem 
was very like the one at Portsmouth, and consisted 
of a procession of military companies and bands 
of tradesmen, which was followed in the evening 
by a dinner and toasts at the Sun tavern. The 
editor of the Salem Mercury adorned his account 
of it with the usual line of columns and some of 
his best Latin. In fact, the poetry and Latin 
which some of these occasions called forth are 
found, upon examination, to have formed one of 
the leading characteristics of their glowing re- 
ports of them. 




CHAPTER YIII. 

THE OLD :n^oeth meetln^g-house in^ co:n^cord. 

Frame. liaising. Dimensions. Location. Seats. 
Proprietors. Bow Controversy. Completion. 
Pews. Pulpit. Gallery. Singing- Seats. 
Horse-Blocl:. Sale of Pews. 

The old ]S^orth Meeting-Hoiise in Concord, 
in which the ratification of the Constitution by 
^ew Hampshire took place, was for a hundred 
and nineteen years a conspicuous object of inter- 
est. It marked the centre of the central town 
of the state. From it radiated, as did once from 
imperial Rome, important roads northward and 
southward, eastward and westward. From it 
was reckoned the distances to surrounding 
towns. It was not only a place for divine wor- 
ship, but for many years a town-house as well, 
in which elections were held and municij)al busi- 
ness was transacted. In it at times the General 



66 OLD IsTORTH MEETZN^G-HOUSE. 

Court held its sessions, and, even after the erec- 
tion of the state-house in 1816, upon assembling, 
its members walked to it in procession that they 
might listen to the annual Election Sermon de- 
livered from its jDulpit. 

Its tall spire, peculiar form, and unusual size 
attracted the notice of visitors to the state capi- 
tal. But the fact that within its consecrated 
walls the Constitution of the United States was 
ratified by ^ew Hampshire as the ninth state, 
gave to it its most important interest. Its asso- 
ciation with that great act has rendered it mem- 
orable, and justifies this efibrt to preserve some 
of the most important items of its history. 

Its predecessor, the first meeting-house of 
Concord, was of logs. For twenty-five years it 
answered well the three-fold jDurpose of for- 
tress, towm-house, and sanctuary; but when, at 
length, as time passed on, the population of the 
town had so far increased as to imperatively 
demand a larger meeting-house, a new one was 
erected (1751) upon the spot now occupied by 
the Walker school-house. Its frame, mostly of 
oak, was composed of timbers of great size, and 
very heavy. The raising, connnenced on the 
twelfth day of June, occupied a large number of 



OLD K^OETH MEETING-HOUSE. 67 

men for three days. The good women of the 
parish asserted their micontested rights on the 
occasion, and afforded snch refreshments as the 
natnre of the ardnons work reqnired.^ 

This bnikling was one of great simpUcity, and 
entirely nnornamented. It was sixty feet long, 
forty-six feet wide, and two stories high. It 
faced the sonth, on which side was a door open- 
ing npon an aisle extending through the middle 
of the house straight to the pulpit. The seats 
were rude l)enches placed upon each side of it, 
those upon the west being assigned to the 
Avomen, and those upon the east to the men. 
The deacons sat upon a seat in front of the pul- 
pit and faced the congregation. A marked 
attention had been shown the minister by build- 
ing for him a pew — the only one in the house. 
This simple structure was without gallery, 
porch, steeple, or chimney. 

As the town had at this date, owing to its con- 
troversy with Bow, no organized government, 
it was built by a company of individuals, desig- 
nated " The Proprietors of the Meeting-House," 
and not by the town, as was usually the case. 
Its erection, under these circumstances, is an 

^ Bouton's History of Concord, p. 230. 



68 



OLD IfOPtTH ]VIEETrNrG-HOUSE. 



important fact, showing conclusively the resolute 
character of its citizens, for at this time all the 
fair fields which they had wrested from the wil- 
derness were unjustly claimed by persons, many 
of them of high political and social influence in 
the province, who, through the agency of the 
courts, were seelring to seize them.i 



1 The Bow controversy, which 
lasted about twelve years, in- 
volved the title to more than 
three fourths of the entire ter- 
ritory of Concord. Its inhabi- 
tants held this under a grant of 
the General Court of Massachu- 
setts Bay, made in January, 
1725. By the settlement of the 
boundary line between Massa- 
chusetts and New Hampshire, 
in 1740, it became a part of the 
latter province. 

Some nine years afterwards, 
by virtue of a grant by the gov- 
ernment of New Hampshire, 
made in May, 1727, a company, 
denominated the Proprietors of 
Bow, sought by writs of eject- 
ment to dispossess the owners, 
after a peaceable possession of 
more than twenty years. The 
parcels sued for were purposely 
so small as to preclude appeals 
to the higher courts in England, 
the object being to so harass 
the occupants as to force them 
either to an abandonment of 



their lands, or to a second pui'- 
chase of them from the Bow 
claimants. 

The occui^ants regarded the 
whole scheme as a base swindle, 
and at once determined to resist 
its consummation. Defeated in 
every case brought before the 
provincial courts, then largely 
controlled by these claimants, 
they dispatched their minister, 
the Rev. Timothy Walker, as 
their agent, to London, to seek 
redress of their wrongs in the 
home courts. For this purpose 
he went to England no less than 
three times, once in the fall of 
1753, once in 1755, and once 
in 1762. On the twenty-ninth 
day of December of this last 
year he obtained of the King 
in Council a decree reversmg 
the decisions of the provincial 
courts and establishing the 
validity of their title, — a decree 
as just as the claims which ifc 
annihilated were wicked. 



OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE. (59 

Indeed, it was only after a long and expensive 
controversy of thirteen years, that the rightful 
proprietors finally obtained, in 1762, at the Court 
of St. James, a decision securing to them the 
peaceable possession of their homes. A new 
spirit was infused into their hearts by this re- 
moval, by royal command, of the clouds which 
had so long hung over them. This was mani- 
fested in the increased enterprise everywhere 
apparent, and improvements, long delayed, were 
innnediately commenced, now that they felt qui- 
eted in the possession of their estates.^ It also 
appeared, some years later, in the general desire 
to finish the meeting-house, which had hitherto 
been but partially completed. 

Measures were instituted as early as 1772 for 

1 The diary of the pastor for " May 2. Set out eight ehii 

1764, the year succeeding that trees about my house." 
of his last return from England, " May 5. Sowed a bushel of 

affords marked evidence of this barley and more than a bushel 

fact. In it he says, — of flax seed and harrowed it in. 

" April 20. Set out 20 apple N. B.— 26th of March set out 63 
trees in the Island orchard and young apple trees in a row, be- 
in ye Joel orchard." ginning next ye road ; then set 

" April 23. Bot 40 apple trees out two young plum trees ; then 

of Philip Eastman, brot. ym. 5 of best winter apples ; then 9 

home and set ym. out." of the spice apple, making 79 

" April 24. Set out about 60 in ye whole." 
young apple trees in ye house 
lot." 



70 OLD l!^OETH MEETDSTG-HOUSE. 

the purchase of the Proprietors' mterest by the 
town, but the distractions of the Eevokition so 
absorbed the time and thoughts of the people 
that nothing conclusive was done/ Seven years 
afterwards, however (1779) , the town voted " to 
relinquish the pew ground to any number of 
persons who would finish the meeting-house and 
add a porch and the value of another porch." It 
also voted " to be at the expense of building the 
steeple, excepting the cost of a porch." Two 
years later, on the ninth day of July, 1781, a 
committee was appointed to secure the enlarge- 
ment of the meeting-house lot by the purchase 
of additional land upon the south of it. 

The next year (March 5, 1782) another com- 
mittee was chosen to negotiate with the proprie- 
tors of the meeting-house for the purchase of 
their interest therein.^ The parish accepted their 

1 March 3, 1772. " Voted tliat choose a committee to treat 

John Kimball, Henry Martin with the proprietors of the 

and John Blanchard be a com- meeting-house and see upon 

mittee to treat with the proprie- what terms they will relinquish 

tors of the meeting-house, or the same to the parish." 

such a committee as they shall a Voted that Peter Green, 

choose, in order to purchase said Esq., Capt. Benjamin Emery 

house for the use of the par- and Mr. Benjamin Hanniford 

ish.."—Toum Records, vol. 2, i^e a committee for the purpose 

P- 3'±- aforesaid." — Toum Records, vol. 

2 March 5, 1782. "Voted to 2, p. 112. 



OLD ISTORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 71 

report, and a month later, April 8, 1782, in 
accordance with its recommendations, the pur- 
chase was made.i 

In June of this year the parish decided to 
finish the house, and Col. Timothy Walker, Jr., 
Robert Harris, and Lieut. Joseph Hall were 
constituted a committee for that pui'pose.^ The 
inside was completed in 1783, and in the course 
of the next year the outside was finished. 

It had an entrance porch at each end, twelve 
feet square and two stories high, containing a 
flight of stairs, in three runs, giving access to 
the galleries. The east porch was sm-mounted 
by a belfry and steeple, upon the spire of which 
stood, one hundred and twenty-three feet from 
the ground, a gilded weather-cock, of cojoper, 
four feet high, and weighing fifty-six pounds. It 
had glass eyes and a proudly expanded tail. It 
always looked ready for a fight, ecclesiastical or 
civil. The inhabitants thought much of it, and 

^ For a copy of the deed, see tee to provide materials and 
Boiiton's History of Concord, finish said house." 
p. 285. " Voted that the committee 

consist of tliree." 

2 June 17, 1782. "Voted to "Voted that Col. Timothy 

finish the meeting-house in said Walker, Mr. Robert Harris and 

Concord." Mr. Joseph Hall be a committee 

" Voted to choose a commit- for the purpose aforesaid." — 

Town Records, vol. 2, p. 114. 



72 OLD I^ORTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 

consulted its movements, in divining the weather, 
with almost as much confidence as do we the 
daily telegrams from the meteorological office at 
Washington. 

The posts of this house, which were but par- 
tially concealed, were of white oak, and revealed 
plainly the marks of the hewer's broad- axe. 
They were twenty-eight feet long, twelve inches 
square at the bottom, and twelve by eighteen 
inches at the top. Those of the bell tower were 
of pine, sixty-four feet long and eighteen inches 
square. Two pitch-pine timbers, each sixty feet 
long and eighteen inches square, pinned to the 
cross-beams, confined this tower to the main 
body of the building. The belfry roof was sup- 
ported upon graceful arches, and covered with 
unpainted tin. The bell-deck was surrounded by 
a handsome railing, and upon the belfry ceiling 
was painted, in strong colors, the thirty-two 
points of the compass, of sufficient size to be 
easily read from the ground. The walls were 
clapboarded, and surmounted by a handsome 
cornice. 

To the lower floor there were three entrances, 
one, already mentioned, upon the south side, and 
one from each ^^orch. Over the two last were 



OLD N^ORTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 73 

entrances to the gallery. There were two aisles 
besides that before alluded to. One extended 
from the east to the west door, and the other 
from one door to the other, between the wall 
pews upon the east, south, and west sides of the 
house and the body pews. 

The pews were square, and inclosed by pan- 
nelled sides, surmounted by turned balusters 
supporting a moulded rail. The seats were 
without cushions, and furnished with hinges, 
that they might be turned up when the congre- 
gation stood, as it did, during the long prayer. 
At the close of this they all went down with one 
emphatic bang, in response to the minister's 
"Amen!" 

The pulpit, which was a huge, square struct- 
ure, and had a semi-circular projection in front, 
was constructed of panelling, and loomed up 
like Mount Sinai, in awful majesty, high above 
the congregation. Behind it was a broad win- 
dow of three divisions, above which projected 
forwards a ponderous sounding-board, of elab- 
orate workmanship, as curious in design as it 
was innocent of utility. 

The pulpit was reached ])y a flight of stairs 
upon the west side, ornamented by balusters of 



74 



OLD I^OETH MEETrsrG-HOUSE. 



curious patterns, three of which, each differing 
from the others, stood upon each step and sup- 
ported the rail. The l^right striped stair carpet, 
the red silk damask cushion upon which rested 




the big Bible, blazing in scarlet and gold, were 
conclusive evidence that the worshippers lav- 
ished upon the sanctuary elegances which they 
denied themselves. 



OLD KOETH MEETING-HOUSE. 75 

At the foot of the pulpit stairs stood a short 
mahogany pillar, upon which on baptismal occa- 
sions was placed the silver font. Just beneath 
and before the pulpit was the old men's pew/ to 
the front of which was suspended a semi-circular 
board, which, raised to a horizontal position on 
sacramental or business occasions, formed a 
table. A wide gallery, sloping upwards from 
front to rear, extended the entire length of the 
east, south, and west sides of the house. 'Next 
the wall were square pews like those below. In 
front of these the space was occupied in part by 
pews and in part by slips, with the exception of 
a section on the south side, immediately in front 
of the pulpit, which had been inclosed for the 
use of the choir. This had a round tal)le in the 
centre, upon which the members placed their 
books, pitch-pipe, and instruments of music. At 

1 It is remembered with pleas- thus sat in the " okl men's " 
ure that in the old meeting- seat, the following are distinctly 
house the venerable old men remembered: Reuben Abbott, 
sat on a seat prepared for them senior, Christopher Rowell, 
at the base of the pulpit, wear- senior, John Shute, Capt. Jo- 
ing on their bald heads a white seph Farnum, Samuel Good- 
linen cap in summer, and a red win, Moses Abbott, Reuben 
woollen or flannel cap in winter. Abbott, 2d, Nathan Abbott, 
This practice continued as late and Chandler Lovejoy. — Bou- 
as 18-25 and 1830. ton's Hist. Concord, p. 529. 

AmouQ" the ancient men who 



76 OLD I^ORTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 

a later date rows of seats took the place of this 
enclosure. A horizontal iron rod was placed 
above the breastwork in front of these, from 
which depended curtains of red. These were 
drawn during the singing, and concealed the 
faces of the singers from the congregation. At 
other times they were pushed aside. 

In the east gallery, next to and north of the 
door, was the negro pew.^ It was plainer than 
the others, and, at most services, had one or 
more sable occupants. Still farther north, but 
at a later date, was another of twice the ordinary 
size, finely upholstered, furnished with chairs, 
and carpeted. It belonged to Dr. Peter Renton, 
a Scotch physician, who came to Concord about 
1822, and for some twenty years was quite prom- 
inent as a physician. 

Such was the old ^orth Meeting-House when 
finished in 1784, with but few, if any, exceptions 
the best in JSTew Hampshire. 

^ The number of slaves in Hillsborough. (?) 

New Hampshire in 1790 was, Strafford, 23. 

according to the census of that Rockingham, 98. 

year, one hundred and fifty- It is a remarkable fact, if it 

eight. These were distributed be a fact, that there were none 

in the several counties as fol- in Hillsborough county, which 

lows : contained at that time more 

In Grafton, 21. than one fourth of the entire 

Cheshire, 16. population of the state. 



OLD N'OKTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 



77 



One object the town had in view, in Lavishing 
so much upon it, was a very praiseworthy desire 
to accommodate the legislature, which met here 
for the first time (1782) two years before, and 
was evincing some disposition to make Concord 
the capital of the state. 

Such it remained until 1802. It was the only 
meeting-house, and to it the families of all sec- 
tions of the town went up to worship, from 
Bow line to the Mast Yard, from Beech Hill to 
Soucoolv river .^ 

Many persons, owing to the want of good 



1 The population of Concord 
in 1800 was 2052. " The inter- 
mission was short — an hour in 
winter and an hour and a half 
in summer. The peojale all 
stayed, except those in the im- 
inediate vicinity ; and hence, as 
everybody attended the same 
meeting, a fine opportunity was 
afforded for everybody to be ac- 
quainted. Old people now say 
that they used to know every 
person in town. Thus public 
worship greatly promoted social 
miion and good feeling through- 
out the whole community. 
^Vhatever new or interesting 
event occurred in one neigh- 
borhood, such as a death, birth, 
marriage, or any accident, be- 



came a subject of conversation, 
and thus communication was 
kept up between the people of 
remote sections, who saw each 
other on no other day than the 
Sabbath." — Boutons History of 
Concord, p. 549. 

Capt. Joseph Walker, who at 
a considerably later time com- 
manded a large company of 
cavalry, resident in Concord 
and neighboring towns, was ac- 
customed to notify meetings of 
his company by verbal notices 
to such members as he happened 
to see at the meeting-house on 
Sunday. These were sufficient, 
although many were not pres- 
ent, and some lived in Canter- 
bury and Northfield. j. b. w. 



78 OLD :n^oiith meeten^g-house. 

roads, or of carriages, went to meeting on horse- 
back. A man and woman often rode double, the 
former upon a saddle in front, and the latter 
upon a pillion behind/ Why this custom was 
confiiied to married and elderly persons tradition 
does not say. For the conyenience of persons 
riding thus there was a mounting-block, near 
the north-west corner of the meeting-house. 
This consisted of a circular flat stone, eight feet 
in diameter, raised about three feet from the 
ground. A few steps led to the top of it, from 
w^hich many of the early inhabitants easily 
mounted their horses at the close of divine ser- 
vice. This ancient "horse-block," as it was 



1 " ' Going to meeting,' as it coarse shoes, carrying a better 
was called, on the Sabbath, was pair in hand, with stockings, 
for seventy-five years and more to change before entering the 
the universal custom. Elderly meeting-house. The usual cus- 
people, who owned horses, rode torn of those west of Long Pond 
double — that is, the wife with was to stop at a large pine tree 
her husband, seated on a pillion at the bottom of the hill west 
behind him, with her right of Richard Bradley's, where the 
arm encircling his breast. The boys and young men jDut on 
young people of both sexes their shoes, and the young- 
went on foot from every part of women exchanged their coarse 
the parish. In summer, young shoes for a better pair, drawing 
men usually walked barefoot, on at the same time their clean 
with shoes in hand; and white stockings." — Boiiton'sHis- 
the young women walked with tory of Concord, p. 528. 



OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 



79 



termed, is still in good preservation, and doing" 
kindred duty at the present time. ^ 




The expenses ineiuTed in the completion of 
this meeting-house were met l)y an auction sale 
of the pews, of which there were forty-seven 
upon the ground floor and twenty-six in the 

agreed to pay a pound of butter 
apiece to defray the expense." — 
Bouton's History of Concord, p. 



^ " On the west side of the old 
meeting-house was, and is, a 
horse-block, famous for its ac- 
commodations to the women in 
mounting and dismounting the 
horses. It consists in a large, 
round, flat stone, seven and a 
half feet in diameter, or about 
twenty-two feet in circumfer- 
ence, raised about four feet 
high, with steps. Tradition 
says it was erected at the in- 
stance of the good wives who 
rode on pillions, and that they 



530 

At a meeting of the Society 
held on the 13th day of April, 
1869, this horse-block was pre- 
sented to the writer of this pa- 
per, as appears by the following- 
vote in the clerk's records, viz. : 
" Voted that we present the 
old Horse-Block to Mr. Jos. B. 
Walker." 



80 



OLD K^OETH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 



gallery. By this sale it became the joint prop- 
erty of the town and of the pew owners .^ 



1 March 2, 1784 : 

" Voted to choose a committee 
to vendue the pews and finish 
the meeting-house." 

" Voted that this committee 
consist of three." 

"Voted that Capt. Reuben 
Kimball, Col. Timothy Walker 
and Lieut. John Bradley be a 
committee for the purpose 
aforesaid." 

"Voted to make an addition 
of two to the committee afore- 
said." 

"Voted that John Kimball 
and James Walker be the addi- 
tional committee." 

" Voted to choose a Treasurer 
to receive the notes for the 
pews." 



" Voted that Dr. Peter Green 
be Treasurer." 

" Voted to choose a committee 
to settle with Treasurer." 

"Voted that this committee 
consist of three." 

"Voted that Capt. Benjamin 
Emery, Peter Green, Esq., and 
Capt. John Roach be the com- 
mittee for the purpose afore- 
said." 

" Voted to reconsider the vote 
choosing Dr. Peter Green, Treas- 
urer." 

" Voted that the committee 
appointed to finish the meeting- 
house proceed to finish the out- 
side of the same the ensuing 
summer." — Town Records, vol. 
2, pp. 132 and 133. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE OLD :N^0KTH MEETES^G-HOUSE, COI^^TrNTJED. 

Enlargement. Bell. First Bell Binger. Tol- 
eration Act. Sale of Toimi's interest in the 
House and Bell. Bemodelling of Pews. Occu- 
pancy hy the N. H. Constitutional Convention 
of 1778 and 1791, and hy the General Court 
in 1782 and subsequently. Introduction of 
Stoves. Election Sermons. Abandon7nent as 
a House of Worship, and conversiofi to a 
Methodist Theological Seminary. Its de- 
struction hy fire. 



At the opening of the present centniy the 
population of Concord had so increased as to 
require the enlargement of the meeting-house. 
At a meeting holden on the first day of Decem- 
ber, 1801, the town accepted a plan for that 
purpose, presented by a connnittee previously 



82 



OLD ISTOETH MEETINGr-HOUSE. 



chosen.^ This provided for an addition of two 
stories to the south side. At the same time 
Richard Ayer and others were authorized, upon 
furnishing suitable bonds for the faithful per- 
formance of the work, to make this addition at 
their own cost, and take in compensation there- 
for the new pew ground thus acquired.^ 

This addition, which stood upon two courses 
of hammered granite ashler, was a semi-polygon, 
having the same length as the house and a mid- 
dle width of thirty feet. The ridge lines of its 



1 " Voted to choose a commit- 
tee of seven persons to propose 
a plan to the town, viz. : — Jacob 
Abbott, Richard Ayer, Paul 
Rolfe, William A. Kent, Benja- 
min Emery, Stephen Ambrose, 
Abial Virgin." 

"Voted to accept the report 
of the above committee, which 
is as follows, viz. : — ' The com- 
mittee appointed to report a 
plan for an addition to the 
meeting-house, report that a plan 
exhibited before the town, being 
a semi-circle projecting thirty 
feet in front of the house, and di- 
vided into seven angles, and the 
gallery upon the plan annexed 
be accepted, and that the own- 
ers of pews in the front of the 
house below have their choice 
to remaia where they are or go 



back to the wall the same dis- 
tance from the front door ; and 
that the present front wall pews 
be placed on a level with the 
other body pews, that the own- 
ers of wall pews in front of the 
gallery have as good wall pews 
in front of the addition.' " 

2 " Voted to choose a commit- 
tee of five to take bonds of Capt. 
Richard Ayer and others who 
came forward at this meeting, 
and offered to make the addi- 
tion on the plan exhibited by 
the committee and accepted by 
the town, viz. : Jacob Abbott, 
John Blanchard, Benjn. Eme- 
ry, John Kimball and Enoch 
Brown, the committee, for the 
above purpose." — Town Records, 
vol. 2, p. 266. 



OLD XOETH MEETENG-HOUSE. 



83 



roof, starting from a common point, on the ridge 
of the old structure, half way between its 
two extremes, terminated at the several angles 
of the cornice. The style and quality of the 
work corresponded to that to which it was an 
addition. Upon completion, March 1, 1803, it 
was approved ])y the town, and the bond of the 
undertakers was surrendered.^ 

The cost of this addition was met by the sale 
of the new pews, for which it aftbrded room. 
A part of these, unlike the old ones, were long 
and narrow, and were denominated slips. 

A few years later (1809) the selectmen were 
directed to remove the two front pews in the 
old part of the house, and have erected upon 
their site four slips. These, upon completion, 
were sold at auction for the sum of three hun- 



1 March 1, 1803. " Voted to 
accept the report of the com- 
mittee appointed to inspect the 
building and finishing the ad- 
dition to the meeting-house, 
viz. : ' We aforesaid committee 
having carefully inspected the 
materials made use of in the 
making the addition to and al- 
terations in the meeting-house 
in Concord and the workman- 
ship in erecting and finishing 
the same, hereby certify that it 



appears to us that the materials 
made use of for each and every 
part were suitable, and of good 
quality, and that the work is 
done in a handsome, workman- 
like manner. 

' Jacob Abbott, 
Benjamin Emery, 
Committee. { John Blanchard, 
John Kimball, 
Enoch Brown." 
Concord, June 3, 1803. 
— Town Records, vol. 2, p. 276. 



84 



OLD ^OETH MEETING-HOUSE. 



dred and twenty-two dollars and twenty-five 
cents, which was set aside as the nucleus of a 
fund for the purchase of a bell, in accordance 
with a vote of the town authorizing this work. 
Nearly ten years before this (March 31, 1800) 




Plan of Gallery, 1803. 

the town had offered, with a prudence worthy of 
highest admiration, " to accept of a bell if one 
can be obtained by subscription." This liberal 
offer had lain neglected for nine entire years 
until now, when private subscriptions increased 



OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 85 

this nucleus to five hundred dollars, and the 
long wished for bell was procured. It weighed 
twelve hundred pounds, and as its clear tones 
sounded up and down the valley, the delight was 
universal. 

The next year the town ordered it rung three 
times every day, except Sundays, viz., at seven 
in the morning, at noon, and at nine o'clock at 
night. The times of ringing on Sundays were to 
be regulated by the selectmen. Four years later 
it was ordered to be tolled at funerals, when 
desired. 

Concord's first bell-ringer was Sherburn Wig- 
gin.^ He was paid a salary of twenty-five dol- 
lars a year, and gave a satisf\ictory bond for a 
faithful performance of the duties of his office. 
The prudence of our fathers is clearly seen in 
the practice of requiring bonds of their public 
servants, and of annually " venduing " some of 
their less valuable offices to the lowest bidder 
instead of selling them to the highest, as is said 



1 Among Concord's early sex- quently the appointment of sex- 
tons were Sherburn Wiggin in tons was left to the selectmen. 
1810, and Benjamin Emery, Among the later incumbents 
Jr., in 1811 and 1812, to whom of this office were Peter Osgood, 
the bell ringing was vendued, Thomas B, Sargent, and Joseph 
as the lowest bidders. Subse- Brown. 



86 OLD ISrOETH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 

to have been done elsewhere in later days. This 
rapid increase of the sexton's salary affords a 
marked instance of the growing extravagance of 
the fathers^ and of the rapacionsness of the 
oflBice-holders among them. The salary of the 
sexton rose rapidly from twenty-five dollars a 
year in 1810 to forty dollars in 1818 — an alarm- 
ing' increase of sixty per cent, in only eight 
years. 

Excepting some inconsiderable repairs in 
1817-18, nothing more was done to the meeting- 
house for about thirty years. An act of the 
legislature, j)assed in 1819, generally known as 
the " Toleration Act," gradually put an end to 
town ministries, and removed the support of 
clergymen to the religious societies over which 
they were settled.i 

Two new societies had been already formed in 
Concord when this became a law, viz., the Epis- 

^ An act of the legislature or sums of money as they shall 
" regulating towns and town of- judge necessary for the settle- 
ficers," passed February 8, 1791, ment, maintenance and support 
provided " That the inhabitants of the ministry." 
of each town in this state, qual- A subsequent act, approved 
ified to vote as aforesaid, at any July 1, 1819, repealed this pro- 
meeting duly and legally warn- vision of the act of 1791, and 
ed and holden in such town, left the support of the ministry 
may, agreeably to the constitu- to be provided for by the relig- 
tion, grant and vote such sum ious societies of towns. 



OLD NORTH MEETI?s"G-HOUSE. 87 

copal in 1817, and the First Baptist in 1818. 
Five years later, on the 29th July, 1821, the 
First Congregational Society in Concord was 
formed, and npon the resignation of its third 
minister. Dr. McFarland, Jnly 11, 1824, the 
town ministry in Concord ceased. 

This important change, together with the 
ors-anization of new societies, made advisable 
the disposal of the town's interest in the meet- 
ing-honse, meeting-honse lot, and bell.' A com- 
mittee, appointed March 11, 1828, for this pnr- 
pose, accordingly sold the toAvn's interest in 
these to the First Congregational Society in 
Concord for eight hundred dollars.' In consid- 

1 March 13, 1826. "Voted, Town's interest in the 

that William A. Kent, Joseph meeting-house, $200.00 

Walker and Abel Hutchins be a Town's interest in the 

committee to take into consid- bell, ^^^-^Q 

eration the subject relative to $800.00 
selling the interest or right the 

town mav have in the meeting- March 11, 1828. " Voted, that 

house to the First Congrega- Samuel Herbert, Benjamin Par- 

tional Society in Concord, and ker and Isaac Eastman be a 

report the expediency and terms committee to sell and convey to 

at the next town meeting."— the First Congregational Society 

Town Records, Yoh 3, v^^- i" Concord the interests the 

town have in the meeting-house, 

2 This committee reported rec- the land on which it stands, and 

ommending the sale of the the bell, agreeably to the report 

Land on which the of the committee to the town at 

house stands, for $300.00 the last annual meeting, and 



88 



OLD I^OKTH MEETZN'G-HOUSE. 



eration of the fact that the bell was to be very 
largely used for the benefit of all its citizens, 
the town subsequently remitted three hundred 
dollars of this amount.^ 

But still again, in 1828, the congregation had 
outgrown its venerable sanctuary, and the de- 
mand for more room became imperative. After 
much discussion, a connnittee was appointed on 



that they be hereby authorized 
to sell and conyey the same to 
said society." — Town Records, 
vol. 3, p. 96. 

July 25, 1828. The town of 
Concord, by Samuel Herbert, 
Benjamin Parker and Isaac East- 
man, a committee duly author- 
ized, conveyed to the First Con- 
gregational Society in Concord 
" all the right, title and interest 
we have in and unto a certain 
tract of land situate in said 
Concord, being the same land 
on which the meeting-house oc- 
cupied by said society now 
stands, described as follows, to 
wit : Extending from the south 
side of said house as first built, 
sis rods south ; from the east 
end of said house, six rods east ; 
from the north side of said 
house, six rods north ; and from 
the west end of said house to 
the original reserve for a road 
by the burying ground, includ- 
ing the land on which said 



house stands, together with said 
house and the bell attached to 
the same, reserving a highway 
on the south side of said house 
where it now is not less than 
four rods wide, and also at the 
west end of said house, and re- 
serving the right to have said 
bell tolled at funerals and rung 
as usual on week days and on 
public occasions ; no shed to be 
erected on said land except on 
the north side of said house." — 
Merrimack Records, vol. 15, p. 
380. 

1 November 14, 1828. "Voted 
that the selectmen be and are 
hereby authorized to endorse 
the sum of three hundred dol- 
lars on a note the town holds 
against the First Congregational 
Society in Concord, being the 
same which was relinquished 
for the bell." — Town Records, 
vol. 3, p. 121. 



OLD liTOIlTH MEETING-HOUSE. 



89 



the sixteenth day of April of this year to alter 
the square pews, on the central portion of the 
lower floor of the house, into slips/ This change 

1 Number and owners of pews on the lower floor of the First 
Congregational Society's meeting-house in Concord, in June, 1828, 
and to whom transferred : 



Society's pew. 



Nos. Names of Owxers ix 1828. To whom Transferred, 

1 Society's free pew. 

2 Jacob A. Potter. 

3 Jonathan Eastman & William West 

4 Mary Ann Stickney. 

5 Abial and Henry Rolfe. 

6 Richard Herbert. 

7 John Eastman. 

8 Ephraim Abbott. 

9 Isaac Virgin. 

10 Hazen Virgin. 

11 Timothy Chandler. 

12 John Odlin. 

13 Charles Walker. 

14 Laban Page. 

15 Thomas D. Potter & Lucy Davis. 



Samuel Fletcher. 



Oliver L. Sanborn. 



Thos. D. Potter & D. L. 
Morril. 

16 John West & Theodore French. 

17 Rhoda Kimball. 

18 Patty Green. 

19 Moses Bullen. D. N. Hoyt. 

20 E. and C. Emery's heirs. 

21 Nathan Chandler, Jr. 

22 Harriet Breed. James Sanborn. 

23 Abel Baker. 

24 Reuben Goodwin & Samuel Carter. Sewell Hoit. 

25 Nathaniel Eastman & Isaac Emery. 

26 Nathaniel Ambrose & Simeon Virgin. 

27 Henry Chandler & John Corlis. 

28 Henry Martin & Isaac F. Ferrin. Benjamin Parker. 

29 Ephraim Farnum. 



90 



OLD IS^OETH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 



increased the mimber of pews from ninety-nine 
to one hundred and ten, and raised the number 



30 Robert Davis. 

31 Isaac Farnum. 

32 Asa Abbott. 

33 Thomas B. Sargent. 

34 Nathan Ballard, Jr. 

35 Susanna Walker. 

36 Robert Davis. 

37 Abial Walker. 

38 Abial Walker & Nathaniel Abbott. 

39 Benjamin H. Swett. 

40 Society's Pew. 

41 Joseph Farnum. 

42 Ezra Ballard. 

43 Timothy Carter. 

44 Abner Farnum. 

45 Moses Farnum. 

46 Moses Carter. 

47 Samuel B. Davis & A. B. Davis. 

48 James Buswell. 

49 Richard Ayer. 

50 Charles Eastman. 

51 Isaac Dow. 

52 James Eastman. 

53 Daniel Fisk. 

54 Richard Flanders & Sons. 

55 Betsey & Hannah Whitney. 

56 John Dimond. 

57 John George. 

58 Moses Shute. 

59 George Hutchins. 

60 Jonathan Ambrose. 

61 John Lovejoy. 

62 Thomas Potter. 

63 Eliza Abbott. 

64 Isaac Shute. 



Robert Davis. 

Wm. Abbott. 

A. B. Kelley. 

Nathaniel Abbott. 
Abial Walker. 



Proctor. 

E. S. Towle. 



S. A. Kimball. 



James Straw. 



OLD NORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 91 

of sittings to abont twelve hundred and fifty. 
The east, south, and west wall pews remained 

65 Jonathan AVilkins. Ivory Hall. 

66 Abial Eastman. 

67 John Eastman. 

68 Millen Kimball. 

69 John Putney. State of New Hampshire. 

70 Margaret Dow. Dr. Colby. 

71 Samuel Morril. 

72 Samuel A. Kimball. 

73 Asaph Evans. 

74 Sanuiel Fletcher. 

75 Richard Bradley. 

76 Moses Hall. 

77 Jeremiah Pecker. 

78 Enoch CofBn. 

79 Joseph Low. 

80 Isaac Hill & Wm. Hurd. 

81 Charles Hutchins. 

82 Abel Hutchins. 

83 Joseph Eastman. Jacob Clough. 

84 Josejih Eastman. Simeon Farnum. 

85 Jacob Hoit. 

86 Frye Williams. 

87 Samuel Herbert. 

88 William A. Kent. 

89 William Stickney. 

90 John Glover. 

91 Orlando Brown & Sarah Deai'born. 

92 Richard Ayer. 

93 Nathaniel Abbott. 

94 Elizabeth McFarland. 

95 George Kent. 

96 Stephen Ambrose. 

97 Simeon & Benjamin Kimball. 

98 Jonathan Wilkins. 

99 Parsonage. 



92 



OLD N^ORTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 



as they were. The folio wmg plan shows the 
arrangement at this time of the aisles and seats 
upon the first floor : 




Plan op First Floor in 1828. 

It is a notable fact, that very soon after the 
meeting-house had attained its greatest capacity 
its congregations began rapidly to diminish. 
This was due to the formation of other religious 
societies. The number of regular members, 
which in 1825 was two hundred and twenty-two, 



OLD NORTH MEETrNG-HOUSE. 93 

had fallen in 1833 to one linndred and seventy- 
three, and the andiences had decreased corre- 
spondingly. Besides those who had withdrawn 
to form new organizations of other denomina- 
tions, there began, in the year last named, a fnr- 
ther exodus of memljers to form the West Con- 
cord society. This was followed by another, in 
1837, to lay the foundations of the South society. 
These had reduced its membership in 1841 to 
one hundred and five. The next year the East 
Concord members left, and formed the Congre- 
gational society in that village. Thus, quartered 
and diminished in its membership more than one 
half, we can readily see that the remnant was 
insufficient to fill the great structure of which it 
now found itself the sole possessor. 

Its fifty great windows, each with its forty 
panes of glass, looked more staring than ever 
before, and rattled Avhen the wind blew as they 
had never rattled before. The voice of the min- 
ister reverberated through the vast area, and his 
eye sought in vain upon the floor and in the 
galleries the dense ranks of men, women, and 
children, numbering some ten or twelve hun- 
dred, which had been wont to greet him. 

One is not, therefore, surprised to find, as he 



94 OLD XOETH MEETING-HOUSE. 

turns over the well kept records of the society, 
that there came one day (March 17, 1841), be- 
fore a meetmg of its members, a proposition to 
leave the old sanctuary and build a new and 
smaller one. This, after long consultations and 
various delays, caused in part by differences of 
|)reference as to location, resulted in the erection 
of a new and third meeting-house, at the corner 
of Main and Washington streets.^ 

But before leaving the old house for the new 
one, the members of the several societies, which 
from time to time had gone out therefrom, met 
within its consecrated walls, and, after prayer 
and song and pleasant reminiscences, bade it 
farewell forever.^ 

^ This was destroyed by fire church ; Rev. Daniel J. Noyes 

in 1873, and a fourth was sub- of the South church ; Eev. Tim- 

sequently erected upon the site othy Morgan, preacher at East 

of it. church ; and the pastor of the 

Fii'st church. In the forenoon 

2 "Previous to leaving the old of Friday, the pastor preached 

North meeting-house as a place a discourse on reminiscences of 

of public worship, a union meet- the old meeting-house. In the 

ing of the four Congregational afternoon, about five hundred 

churches in town was held in it. and fifty communicants, belong- 

The meeting was attended two ing to the fom- sister churches, 

successive days, viz., — Thursday sat down to the Lord's Supper. 

27th and Friday 28th of Sep- It was a season of tender and 

tember, in which the several affecting interest. Many wept 

pastors took part, viz., — Rev. at the thought of a separation 

Asa P. Tenney of the West from the place where they and 



OLD I^rOETH MEETLN^G-HOUSE. 



95 



This imperfect sketch would be still more so 
should a passing allusion to some of the assem- 
blies, other than religious, convened from time 
to time in this honored house, be neglected. 

As early as 1778 a Convention was here holden 
to form a plan of government for the state of 
'New Hampshire. 

The first time the legislature ever met in 
Concord, March 13, 1782, it assembled in this 
house.^ Owing, however, to the cold, it ad- 
journed for that session to another building tem- 



their fathers had so long wor- 
shipped." — Bouto?i's History of 
Concord, p. 452. 

^ The General Assembly, in 
session at Exeter, voted, on the 
tweKth day of January, 1782, 
" That when the business of 
this session is finished, the Gen- 
eral Court be adjourned to meet 
at Concord, at such time as shall 
be agreed upon by the said 
General Court." — Provincial Pa- 
pers, vol. 8, p. 930. 

The tradition is, that Col. 
Timothy Walker, then a mem- 
ber of the house from Concord, 
remarked to some of the mem- 
bers who were complaining of 
the treatment which they had 
received at their boarding- 



houses, that if the General As- 
sembly would hold its next ses- 
sion at Concord, they should be 
as well accommodated as at 
Exeter and for half the money. 
Thereupon the Assembly ad- 
journed to Concord. 

Upon his return home the 
Colonel informed his neighbors 
of his promise and the conse- 
quences thereof, and that at its 
next session all must open their 
houses for the accommodation 
of the members of the General 
Court. This they at once agreed 
to do, and subsequently did, to 
general satisfaction. Since then, 
forty-four sessions of the Gen- 
eral Court had been held in 
Concord, up to 1816, when it 
became the capital of the state. 



96 OLD ISrOETH MEETDSTG-HOTJSE. 

porarily prepared for its accommodation.^ From 
the year 1782, onward to 1790, when the first 
Concord town-house was bnilt, there were held 
in it no less than fifteen sessions of the G-eneral 
Court. 

The adjournment, just alluded to, suggests 
the fact that for two centuries after coming: to 
this country our 'New England ancestors had 
no fires in their sanctuaries. They accepted the 
weather as God sent it, and were content. If 
in summer the sun, shining through great un- 
shaded windows, dazzled their eyes, they con- 
tracted their eyebrows and bore it, either with 
winking or without, as individual preferences 
suggested. If in winter the cold in God's house 
was intense, they shrugged their shoulders, 
worked their toes, and, so far as they could, got 
bodily warmth from the fervor of their devotions. 
But it must have been very chilly for the un- 
godly on such occasions. That at the noon 
intermission such should have sought spiritual 
invigoration at Hanaford's tavern near by may 

1 The hall fitted up for this Enoch Gerrish. At that time 

occasion was in the second story it stood upon the east side of the 

of the house now standing on street, and a few rods south of 

the west side of Main street, its present location, 
next north of the house of 



OLD KORTH MEETING-HOUSE. 97 

have been inexcusable, but it was not inconsist- 
ent with the native depravity of that time. 

Means of warming were introduced into the 
Old :N'orth Meeting-House in 1821.^ A mod- 
erate sized box stove was placed in the broad 
aisle. This had a very long fimnel, which was 
taken through the ceiling to a short chimney 
in the attic. 

This central warmer proved but partially sat- 
isfactory, and may have operated like a similar 
one in the meeting-house of another town, which 
was said to have driven all the cold air from the 
middle of the house to the sides, rendering the 
wall pews more uncomfortable than ever before. 

1 As I can never forget the mornings, the impatience of the 
faces within, so I never can the congregation, and the rapidity- 
furious winds which howled of their dispersion, — are they 
about the ancient pile, the cold not all upon the memory of 
by which it was penetrated, and those who worshipped in that 
the stamping of men and women house previous to the year 1821 ? 
when within the porches, as Then my father suggested that 
they came from afar, and went in winter there be only one ser- 
direct from their sleighs to an vice, which led to the pm'chase 
immense apartment in which of a moderate sized box stove, 
there was no fire except that and its erection half way up the 
carried thither in foot-stoves. central aisle. This, strange as 
The rattling of a multitude of it may seem, was a departure 
loose windows, my tingling feet, from old custom which encoun- 
the breath of people seen across tered some opposition. — Biog- 
the house as the smoke of chim- raphy and Recollections by Asa 
neys is discerned on frosty McFarland, p. 104. 



98 OLD I^OETH MEETING-HOUSE. 

The introduction of a stove into a meeting-house 
often met great opposition and caused serious 
commotion. The excitement .caused by the set- 
ting up of a stove in the meeting-house at Web- 
ster, .in 1832, was quieted only by a general 
agreement, embodied in a vote passed at a reg- 
ular meeting of the society, " to dispense with a 
fire in the stove the first Sabbath in each month 
through the cold season." ^ 

Before the introduction of the stove, and even 
afterwards, many among the more delicate por- 
tion of the congregation had sought a slight 
mitigation of the frosts in God's house by the 
use of foot-stoves. These continued in quite 
general use so long as worship was continued in 
this house. The heat of such a warmer came 
from a pan of coals inclosed in a box of tin. IN^o 
man who was a boy fifty or sixty years ago will 
ever forget the Sunday labor imposed upon him 
in cold weather by the filling and carrying back 
and forth of one of these. The stern fathers of 
the previous generation may, very likely, have 
regarded them as vanities, and this Sunday labor 
as unnecessary and sinful. To this good Puritan 
opinion there can be no doubt that the boys who 

1 Coffin's History of Boscawen and Webster, p. 238. 



OLD N^OKTH MEETrNG-HOUSE. 99 

• 

had mastered the catechism, and the families in 
the immediate vicinity of the meeting'-honse lev- 
ied npon for coals, would have readily assented. 

It was in this Old ]^orth Meeting-House, as 
before mentioned, that the 'New Hampshire State 
Convention was holden, on the 21st day of June, 
1788, which, as the ninth assembled for that 
purpose, ratified the Federal Constitution and 
started upon its glorious career the government 
of the United States. In this house were also 
held the Conventions of 1781 and 1791 to revise 
the Constitution of the state. 

Fourteen times, from 1784 to 1806, did the leg- 
islature march in formal procession to this house 
to hear the annual Election Sermon, which pre- 
ceded its organization, and every year after- 
wards until 1831, when the sermon was discon- 
tinued. Thirty-nine of all the Election Sermons 
preached before the legislature of ^N^ew Hamp- 
shire were delivered from its pulpit.^ 

From 1765 to 1790, a period of twenty-five 
years, all annual and special town-meetings were 
held in it. Here the legal voters of Concord, 

1 The Election Sermon was Dr. Nathaniel Bouton, in 1828, 

preached by Rev. Israel Evans, who were successively pastors 

in 1791 ; by Rev. Dr. Asa Mc- of the people worshipping in 

Farland, in 1808 ; and by Rev. this house. 



100 OLD NORTH MEETZN^G-HOUSE. 

many of whom rarely if ever met on other occa- 
sions, except for divine worship, assembled to ex- 
change friendly greetings and to discharge their 
civil duties as American citizens. Here, also, 
protracted religions meetings were held from 
time to time, the most memorable of which was 
that of 1831. Here important addresses were 
delivered to large assemblies on Fourth of July, 
and on other occasions of general interest. Here, 
in 1835, was delivered before the General Court 
a eulogy on Gen. Lafayette, by Hon. ^N'athaniel 
G. Upham. Here were held conventions for the 
promotion of temperance. Here occurred, in 
1834 and 1835, the memorable trials of Abraham 
Prescott for the murder of Mrs. Sally Cochran, 
of Pembroke. Here was had that sharp political 
encounter between Franklin Pierce and John P. 
Hale, upon the latter's leaving the Democratic 
party in 1845. The walls of no other house in 
ISTew Hampshire resounded to so many lofty 
flights of eloquence as did those of this meeting- 
house from 1751 to 1845. 

A few years after its abandomnent this an- 
cient structure was sought by the trustees of 
the Methodist General Biblical Institute as the 
seat of that institution, which it was proposed to 



OLD l^ORTH MEETEN^G-HOUSE. ' 101 

remove from N^ewbmy, Vt., to Concord. The 
First Congregational Society and the pew-holders 
cheerfully conveyed to them their several inter- 
ests in the building and lot, and public-spirited 
citizens of Concord subscribed some three thou- 
sand dollars for so remodelling the house as to 
suit the new purpose to which it was to be de- 
voted. The pulpit, pews, and galleries were 
removed; a second floor was introduced, and 
the two stories, thereby secured, were divided 
into dormitories and lecture-rooms.^ It con- 
tinued the seat of the Institute until its removal 
to Boston, when, in accordance with the terms 
of its conveyance twenty years before, it revert- 
ed, with the land upon which it stood, to the 
First Congregational Society of Concord. It 
was subsequently sold to private parties, and the 
proceeds of its sale were devoted to the purchase 
of the First Congregational Society's parsonage. 
With sad hearts its many friends afterward saw 
it degraded to a tenement house of a low order. 
But its desecration was brief. On the night of 
Monday, November 28, 1870, the purifying angel 
wrapped her mantle about the old building, and 

^ A portion of the pulpit is in shire Historical Society, and in 
possession of the New Hamp- good preservation. 



102 OLD NORTH MEETESTG-HOUSE. 

transported it heavenward on wings of flame. 
I^ot long afterwards the Union School District 
purchased the site of it, and reared thereon one 
of the fairest school-honses of which any 'New 
Hampshire town can boast. It was named 
from Concord's first minister,i and bears npon 
its south fagade a tablet with the inscription to 
be found on page 117 of the Appendix. 

So, after a useful existence of nearly foiu- 
generations, the Old ]!^orth Meeting-House, 
resolved into its original elements, yielded its 
site to another structure of kindred character in 
the great scheme of American civilization. It 
was a " meeting-house " in the broadest New 
England sense of that word, and was directly 
associated with more important public events 
than any other in the state. 

But, at the end of a century, the Federal 
Constitution, whose provisions first became vital 
within its walls, flourishes in increasing vigor. 
The narrow belt of stales along the Atlantic, 
which its adoption compacted into an efS.cient 
nationality, have nearly trebled in number and 

1 Rev. Timothy Walker, pas- vember 18,1730, to September 
tor of the First Congregational 1, 1782. 
Society in Concord from No- 



OLD NOKTH MEETING-HOUSE. 103 

stretch westward to the Pacific. The popula- 
tion which it at first regulated has increased 
from less than four to more than sixty millions. 
A manufacturing interest of colossal dimensions 
has been created, and an agriculture, of limited 
proportions at its adoption, has attained to such 
a magnitude that its products, expressed in 
figures, are but vaguely apprehended. More- 
over, the anticipation is a reasonable one, that 
the flag which symbohzes its principles and its 
power will ere long shelter more millions than 
have ever before been banded together in one 
nationality, and wave above the greatest efi'ort 
for the amelioration of the human race which 
history has recorded. 




APPENDIX. 



APPEI^DIX. 



Additional Biographical Notices of Members of the Fed- 
eral Convention. 

Col. PiERSEi Long (page 8) was born in Ports- 
month, 1739. He received a fair edncation nnder Maj. 
Samnel Hale, the distingnished teacher in that town. 
He became a shipping-merchant, and continued in busi- 
ness until the Revolution. He was one of the party 
which captured the fort at the mouth of the Piscataqua 
river, and was subsequently sent as a delegate to the 
First Provincial Congress at Exeter, 1775. He began 
his military career as colonel of the 1st New Hamp- 
shire Regiment, May, 1776. Transferred in July fol- 
lowing to another command, he continued in the ser- 
vice until the capture of Gen. Burgoyne and his forces, 
in the effort to secure which he participated. He soon 
afterwards returned to Portsmouth, where he was hon- 
ored and esteemed. He was a delegate to the Conti- 
nental Congress, 1784-'86, and was subsequently made 
collector of customs at that port. He died April 3, 
1789. Mr. Brewster says of him, — "- Col. Long was a 
handsome, portly man, of unblemished Christian char- 

1 Ml'. Brewster spells the name as written above. 



108 APPEN^DIX. 

acter, amiable and courteous, a correct merchant, and a 
good soldier." 

De. Edmund Chadwick (page 11), the son of Dea- 
con John Chadwick, of Boxford, Mass., was born March 
10, 1751. He studied medicine, and at the beginning 
of the Revolution enlisted as a private in a Massachu- 
setts company. From this he was soon transferred to 
the position of surgeon of his regiment. He was pres- 
ent at the battles of Stillwater, at the surrender of Gen. 
Burgoyne, and passed the memorable winter of 1777-78 
at Valley Forge. In 1779, after a service of about tlrree 
years, he settled as a physician at Deerfield, where he 
resided during the rest of his life, and died Nov. 8, 1826. 

Dr. Chadwick was a studious and able physician. In 
1803 he was unanimously elected a Fellow of the N. H. 
Medical Society. He was repeatedly called upon to 
represent his town, and the church of which he was a 
member, on occasions when intelligence, sagacity, and 
good sense were of great value. He was a member of 
the N. H. Constitutional Convention in 1782, Deerfield 
not sending a delegate the year before, and of the Fed- 
eral Convention in 1788. 

Capt. Benjamin Emery (page 11) was a substan- 
tial citizen of Concord. He was for many years a mem- 
ber of its proprietary committee, and active in town and 
business affairs. From time to time he held responsible 
offices. He was captain of a company of fifty-one men 
in the Continental army, December, 1775, and of a 
larger one in 1776. He possessed a good estate, was 
conservative in his views, and esteemed by his fellow- 
citizens. He died Nov. 2. 1819, aged 81. 



APPENDIX. 109 

Gen. Jonathan Chase (page 19) was a leading cit- 
izen of Cornish. In 1771 he petitioned Gov. John 
Wentworth for the confirmation of the grant of an 
island in the Connecticut river between Cornish and 
Windsor. In 1876 he was allowed three barrels of 
powder, to be used in defence of the frontiers. Having 
the commission of colonel, he was also muster-master 
for paying his regiment. In 1781 he petitioned for 
liberty to raise a company of sixty men, to be employed 
as scouts, for the defence of the western frontiers. In 
the disputes with Vermont about the New Hampshire 
grants, he was appointed by the town of Cornish, March 
9, 1779, as their agent to attend a convention in Dres- 
den on the 20th of July ; and at an adjourned meeting, 
August 30, the same year, the voters present unani- 
mously rejected the plan of government for the state of 
New Hampshire, which was sent to them. He attended 
a convention on the same matter at Walpole, Nov. 15, 
1780, and another at Charlestown, Feb. 7, 1781.^ 

Francis Worcester, Esq. (page 20), who repre- 
sented Plymouth, Rumney, and Alexandria as classed 
towns, was a native of HoUis. In 1776 he was coroner 
for Grafton county. In 1777 he was chairman of the 
town committee of safety ; in 1777-'79, representative 
to the General Assembly, and an efficient member, fill- 
ing various offices with ability and promptness ; in 
1780-82, a councillor. He was a member of the Con- 
stitutional Conventions of 1778 and 1781, and of the 
Federal Convention of 1788.' 

Col. Elisha Payne (page 20) was one of the most 

1 Prov. and State Papers, vol. x, p. 11. 

2 Prov. and State Papers, vol. x, p. 11. 



110 APPE:Nrr)ix. 

enterprising men of his time in New Hampshire. He 
was born in Connecticut in 1731, and came to this state 
in 1773 as one of the proprietors and first settlers of 
Cardigan, now Orange. Soon after 1778 he removed 
to Lebanon, induced thereto by a grant of land condi- 
tioned upon his erection of grist- and saw-mills in that 
town. 

He was a leader of the towns on the east side of 
Connecticut river in the Vermont Controversy, and a 
representative in the Assembly of that state in 1778 
and 1781. He was also lieutenant-governor in 1781-'82, 
and chief-justice of the supreme court. In December, 
1781, he was a major-general of the militia, and author- 
ized " to call them out to repel New Hampshire forces, 
' force by force.' " 

He was a warm friend of Dartmouth college ; a trus- 
tee from 1774 to 1801, and its second treasurer, 1779- 
'80. In 1779 the college conferred upon him its hon- 
orary degree of A. M. He represented Lebanon in the 
New Hampshire legislature in 1781, '85, '90, '93, '96, '97, 
and 1800. He died at Lebanon, July 10, 1807, aged 76. 

Capt. John Weeks (page 21), the son of Dr. John 
Weeks, was born in Hampton, February 17, 1749. 
While a young man he made repeated hunting excur- 
sions to the wilds of the Kennebec river and of the 
Upper Coos. These gave him a knowledge of those 
sections of country, of which he availed himself at a 
later date. Upon the outbreak of the Revolution, he 
took an active part in the struggle, and held a captain's 
commission. Soon after the declaration of peace, in 
1786, he went to Lancaster, and there purchased land 
upon which he settled the following year. 



APPENDIX. Ill 

The farm of Capt. Weeks has remained in his family, 
except for a brief period, about a century. Upon it 
he kept open house for many years. He was of a 
genial disposition, possessed a broad common-sense, 
and was highly esteemed. He was active in town 
affairs, and from time to time held important public 
offices. He was a delegate to the Federal Convention 
in 1788, a representative to the General Court in 1792, 
and repeatedly filled other important public positions. 
He died in September, 1818. 



112 APPEIsTDIX. 



Alleged abstract of a Speech in the Federal Convention hy 
Hon. Joshua Atherton, as printed in the New Hamp- 
SHiEE Statesman akd Concokd Register of 
July 7, 1827. 

IMPORTATION OF SLAVES. 

It is greatly to be deplored tliat no records of the 
debates of tlie Convention of N. H., which, adopted the 
Federal Constitution of the United States, have been 
preserved. They would be of inestimable importance 
to the present and future inquirers into the origin and 
establishment of our political institutions. We do not 
recollect that a single speech on the adoption of any 
one section of the Constitution was ever published. By 
accident we lately found the following abstract of one 
made by the Honorable Joshua Atheeton, delegate 
from Amherst, on that section relating to the Importa- 
tion of Slaves, in the following words, viz., " The Migra- 
tion or Importation of such persons as any of the states 
now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be 
prohibited by congress prior to 1808, but a tax or duty 
may be imposed on such Importation not exceeding ten 
dollars for each person." 

Mr. Dow, the delegate from Weare, spoke very sensi- 
bly and feelingly against this paragraph. Several mem- 
bers on the other side spoke in favor of it, with remarks 
on what Mr. Dow had said, after which Mr. Atherton 
of Amherst spoke as follows : 

Mr. President : — ^I cannot be of the opinion of the 
honorable gentleman who last spoke, that this paragraph 



APPENDIX. 113 

is either so unjust [just?] or so inoffensive as they seem 
to imagine, or that the objections to it are so totally void 
of foundation. The idea that strikes those who are op- 
posed to this clause so disagreeably and so forcibly is, — 
hereby it is conceived (if we ratify the Constitution) 
that we become consenters to and partakers in the sin 
and guilt of this abominable traffic, at least for a certain 
period, without any positive stipvdation that it shall 
even then be brought to an end. We do not behold in 
it that valuable acquisition, (?) so much boasted of by 
the honorable member from Portsmouth, " that an end is 
then to be put to slavery. '''' Congress may be as much or 
more puzzled to put a stop to it then than we are now. 
The clause has not secured its abolition. 

We do not think [we are] under any obligation to per- 
form works of supererogation in the reformation of man- 
kind. We do not esteem ourselves under any necessity 
to go to Spain or Italy to suppress the Inquisition of 
those countries ; or of making a journey to the Carolinas 
to abolish the detestable custom of enslaving the Afri- 
cans ; — but, sir, we will not lend the aid of our ratifica- 
tion to this cruel and inhuman merchandise, not even for 
a day. There is a great distinction in [between ?] not 
taking a part in the most barbarous violation of the sacred 
laws of God and humanity, and our becoming guarantees 
for its exercise for a term of years. Yes, sir, it is our full 
purpose to wash our hands clear of it, and however 
unconcerned spectators we may remain of such preda- 
tory infractions of the laws of our nation, however 
unfeelingly we may subscribe to the ratification of man- 
stealing with all its baneful consequences, yet I cannot 
but believe, in justice to human nature, that if we re- 
verse the consideration [conditions?] and bring this 



114 APPENDIX. 

claimed power somewhat nearer to our own doors, we 
shall form a more equitable opinion of its claim to this 
ratification. 

Let us figure to ourselves a company of these man- 
stealers, well equipped for the enterprise, arriving on 
our coast. They seize or carry off the whole or a part 
of the town of Exeter. Parents are taken and children 
left, or, possibly, they may be so fortunate as to have a 
whole family taken and carried off together by these 
relentless robbers : what must be their feelings in the 
hands of their new and arbitrary masters? Dragged at 
once from everything they hold dear to them, stripped 
of every comfort of life like beasts of prey, they are 
hurried on a loathsome and distressing voyage to the 
coast of Africa or some other quarter of the globe, 
where the greatest price may waft them ; and here, if 
.-anything can be added to their miseries, comes on the 
heart-breaking scene — a parent is sold to one, a son to 
^another, and a daughter to a third. Brother is cleft 
from brother, sister from sister, and parents from their 
(darling offspring. Broken with every distress that 
ihuman nature can feel, and bedewed with tears of 
anguish, they are dragged into the last stage of depres- 
sion and slavery, never, never to behold the faces of one 
another again. The scene is too affecting : I have not 
fortitude to pursue the subject. 



APPENDIX. 115 



Report of a Speech of Gen. John Sullivan in the Federal 
Coyivention., as quoted from the Freeman's Oracle 
of March 7, 1788, b^ Hon. Thomas C. Amory in his 
Life of Gen. Sullivan^ pp. 230, 231. 

Every part of the Constitution exhibits proof of the 
wisdom of those that framed it, and no one article meets 
my approbation more than the one under consideration. 
All acknowledge that causes wherein ambassadors, other 
public ministers or consuls, wherein citizens of differ- 
ent states are parties, or foreigners are interested, ought 
to come under cognizance of the Federal jurisdiction ; 
and, if this be just and reasonable, it is equally so that 
causes between different states should be tried by the 
same tribunal. There are few of us who have not been 
witness to the bias the most upright judges have upon 
their minds in deciding causes between their own citi- 
zens and foreigners or citizens of another state. The 
limits of the eastern boundary of this state were for- 
merly disputed by Massachusetts. Towns upon or nigh 
the line had been granted by both. The Massachusetts 
grantees commenced actions of trespass against the New 
Hampshire settlers in the county of York; and the 
court held, upon consideration, that the lands were 
within that county. Similar actions were commenced 
by the New Hampshire settlers within their own prov- 
ince, and the courts determined the actions were well 
brought. The controversy was long continued, till at 
length the parties, observing the inefficiency of the laws 
of either province to determine a question of this kind, 
compromised the dispute. 



116 APPEl^DIX. 

The mode pointed out by the Constitution remedies 
these evils. Tribunals, upon the adoption of this gov- 
ernment, may be instituted where the grants of different 
states will have no more weight than their intrinsic 
goodness will warrant ; where it will not be so much 
considered whether a party belongs to Massachusetts or 
New Hampshire, as Avhether his cause be just. And all 
this we may certainly predict without any party being 
ruined in the prosecution or defence of his rights. Jus- 
tice will be administered without any extraordinary 
expense to the subject ; and congress, under such regu- 
lations as they are empowered by the Constitution to 
make, provide for the easy and expeditious dispensing 
of law. It seems singular that gentlemen who consid- 
ered the British king was as eligible as that of any peo- 
ple could be, complain of this regulation as a hardship, 
and destructive of the rights of the people. They 
quietly suffered an appeal to Great Britain in all causes 
of consequence. They then boasted of their liberties ; 
boasted of the liberty of appealing to judges ignorant 
of our situation, and prejudiced against the name of an 
American. And will they now object to this provision 
in the Constitution ? Could they be content under their 
former bondage, and will they now reject a Constitution 
because an unprejudiced American court are to be their 
judges in certain causes, under such limitations and 
regulations as the representatives shall provide ? 



APPENDIX. 117 

Inscription on the School-House noiv occupying the site of 
the Old North Meeting-House in Coticord. 



ON THIS SPOT, 
CONSECRATED TO RELIGION AND LEARNING, 
WAS ERECTED IN 1751 
THE FIRST FRAMED MEETING HOUSE 
IN CONCORD, 
WHICH WAS USED FOR NINETY ONE YEARS 
AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP BY 
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY 
OF THE TOWN, 
AND WITHIN WHOSE WALLS ASSEMBLED 
IN 1788 
THE NINTH STATE CONVENTION WHICH RATIFIED 
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 
FROM 1847 TO 1867 
IT WAS OCCUPIED BY 
THE METHODIST GENERAL BIBLICAL INSTITUTE. 
BURNED IN 1870, 
ITS SITE WAS PURCHASED BY 
THE UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT, 
WHICH HAS CAUSED TO BE ERECTED 
THEREON THIS STRUCTURE, 
A. D. 1873. 



118 appe:n^dix. 



Extracts from the Report of the Centennial Celebration of 
the Ratification of the Federal Constitution by New 
Hampshire hy the N. H. Historical Society^ on the 
'list day of June, 1888, published in the CoNCOED 
Evening Monitoe. 

OWE HUNBREB TEAB8. 

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CENTENNIAL FITTINGLY CELE- 

BEATED. 

This has been a red-letter day m the annals of the 
New Hampshire Historical Society. The Constitutional 
Centennial has been most appropriately observed, with 
oration, poem, banquet, and after-dinner addresses, by 
men distinguished in public and private life, in politics 
and in letters. The society's committee, u];)on whom has 
devolved the work of arranging for the day's exercises, 
has been a most efficient one. 

OEATION AND POEM. 

At noon members of the society and others assembled 
in the opera-house to listen to the oration and poem. 
Gov. Sawyer, Hon J. E. Sargent, president, George L. 
Balcom of Claremont, vice-president, and Hon. Amos 
Hadley, recording secretary of the society, and the 
Orator and Poet of the day, occupied seats upon the 
stage. Judge Sargent made a brief introductory ad- 
dress, in which he alluded to the event which was being 
commemorated. He introduced as orator Hon. James 



APPENDIX. 119 

W. Patterson, of Hanover, who delivered the oration. 
At its close Judge Sargent introduced Allen Eastman 
Cross, of Manchester, as the Poet of the day. 

THE BANQUET. 

The banquet at Chase's hall was a most elaborate 
affair. Dooling of Boston was caterer, and gave per- 
sonal supervision to the work of efficient employes. The 
hall made an attractive place for such an event, and 
presented an elegant appearance with its five richly laid 
tables. The table of honor was placed across the south 
side of the hall ; and at right angles to it, extending the 
whole lengtlr of the hall, were four other tables. Plates 
were laid for 200 people. The dinner was served by 
courses, in an entirely satisfactory manner. 

At Judge Sargent's right sat Hon. James W. Patter- 
son, Gov. Sawyer, Hon. Mellen Chamberlain of Boston, 
Hon. Amos Hadley, Hon. George B. Loring of Salem, 
Mass., Rev. James DeNormandie of Boston, and Hon. 
Robert S. Rantoul of Salem, Mass. 

Upon his left were Allen Eastman Cross, President 
Bartlett, Rev. Edward Everett Hale, D. D., of Boston, 
Hon. Samuel C. Eastman, Hampton L, Carson of 
Philadelphia, secretary of the Constitutional Conven- 
tion Celebration, Hon. Frank B. Sanborn of Concord, 
Mass., and Rev. Dr. F. D. Ayer. 

Among the other distinguished guests from out of 
town were Hon. Charles Levi Woodbury of Boston, 
Capt. Woolmer Williams of the Ancient and Honorable 
Artillery of London, F. A. Stone of Philadelphia, Capt. 
A. A. Folsom of Boston, Charles Carleton Coffin of 
Boston, Hon. E. H. Elwell of Portland, Me., Col. Albert 
H. Hoyt of Boston, Rev. Henry A. Hazen of Billerica, 



120 APPENDIX. 

Mass., Hon. Nathaniel F. Safford of Boston Hon. Daniel 
Barnard of Franklin, Hon. Ira Colby of Claremont, 
Hon. John J. Bell of Exeter, William B. Trask of Boston, 
ex-Gov. Frederick Smyth of Manchester, George L. Bal- 
com of Claremont, Henry M. Baker, Esq., of Bow, Rev. 
Harry Brickett, Hon. John W. Noyes of Chester, Hon. 
David Cross, Herman F. Straw, E. M. Topliff, Rev. C. S. 
Murkland, Col. J. B. Clarke and Hon. L. B. Clough of 
Manchester, Prof. Isaac Walker and George B. Little 
of Pembroke, and Isaac K. Gage of Penacook. A large 
share of the gentlemen named were accompanied by 
ladies. The professional and business circles of our 
own city were finely represented in the gathering. 



IIVTDEX. 



Abbot, Asa 90 
Abbot, Eliza 90 
Abbot, Ephraim 89 
Abbot, Jacob 82, 83 
Abbot, Moses 75 
Abbot, Nathan 75 
Abbot, Nathaniel 90, 91 
Abbot, Reuben 75 
Abbot, Reuben 2d 75 
Abbot, William 16, 42, 90 
Adams, Benjamin 9, 42 
Adjournment of Convention, 29 
Allen, Aaron 18 
Ambrose, Jonathan 90 
Ambrose, Nathaniel 89 
Ambrose, Stephen 82, 91 
Amory, Thomas C. 4, 15 
Announcement of results, 48, 54 
Atherton, Charles G. 15 
Atherton, Charles H. 4, 15, 23 
Atherton, Joshua 4, 15, 23, 27 
29, 39, 40-42, 44, 53, 112 
Anti-Federalists, 22 
Austin, Nicholas 14, 42 
Ayer, F. D. 119 
Ayer, Richard 82, 90, 91 



Badger, Hon. Joseph 13, 39, 42 
Badger,, Capt. Joseph 13 
Badger, William 13 



Baker, Abel 89 
Baker, H. M. 120 
Balcom, Geo. L. 118, 120 
Ballard, Ezra 90 
Ballard, N. Jr. 90 
Barnard, D. 120 
Barrett, Charles 15, 23, 27, 40 

42 
Barstow, George 4 
Bartlett, Josiah 10, 23, 39, 41 

42, 52 
Bartlett, Samuel C. 119 
Bartlett, Thomas 10, 39, 42 
Bean, Joseph 43 
Bean, Lieut. 43 
Bean, Nathaniel 17, 42 
Bedee, Daniel 14, 42 
Bell, 84, 85, 88 
Bell, John J. 120 
Bellows, Col. Benjamin 18 
Bellows, Gen. Benjamin 18, 39 

42, 52 
Bettan, James 12, 42 
Bixby, Daniel 15, 42 
Bixby, Thomas 16, 42 
Blanchard, John 70, 82, 83 
Blanchard, Joseph 9, 42 
Bouton, Nathaniel 99 
Bow Controversy, 67, 68, 69 
Bradley, Lieut. John 80 
Bradley, Richard 78, 91 
Breed, Harriet 89 
Brewster, C. W. 107 



122 



ESTDEX. 



Brickett, Harry 120 
Brown, Enoch 82, 83 
Brown, Joseph 85 
Brown, Orlando 91 
Bullen, Moses 89 
Buswell, James 90 



Calfe, John 11, 24, 42, 52 
Carr, Moses 13, 42 
Carson, H. L. 119 
Carter, Moses 90 
Carter, Samuel 89 
Carter, Timothy 90 
Celebration at Portsmouth, 56 
Celebration at Salem and else- 
where, 64 
Celebration Centennial, 118-120 
Chadwick, Edmmad 11, 42, 108 
Chadwick, John 107 
Chamberlain, Mellen 119 
Chamberlain, Moses 18, 42 
Chandler, Henry 89 
Chandler, Nathan 89 
Chandler, Timothy 89 
Chase, Jonathan 19, 42, 109 
Chase, Thomas 11, 42 
Chesley, Jonathan 14, 42 
Clarke, J. B. 120 
Clough, Benjamin 10, 42 
Clough, Jacob 91 
Clough, Jeremiah 11, 42 
Clough, L. B. 120 
Cochran, John 16, 14 
Cochran, Sally 100 
Coffin, C. C. 119 
Coffin, Enoch 91 
Colby, Ira 120 
Concord Evening Monitor, 118 



Collins, John 43 

Connecticut Courant, 32 

Continental Congress, 1 

Convention, Federal 2 

Conventions, Constitutional 

45, 9» 
Corliss, John 89 

Cragin, John 16, 42 

Cram, Jonathan 43 

Crawford, Thomas 20, 42 

Cross, A. E. 119 

Cross, David 120 

Cummings, Ebenezer 15, 42 



Dakin, Amos 15, 42 
Daniels, Samuel 11, 43 
Davis, A. B. 90 
Davis, Lucy 89 
Davis, Robert 90 
Davis, Samuel 90 
Dearborn, Benjamin 59 
Dearborn, Sarah 91 
DeNormandie, James 119 
Dimond, John 90 
Dix, Nathan 16 
Dole, Stephen 15, 42 
Dow, Evan 16 
Dow, Isaac 90 
Dow, Jonathan 16, 42, 112 
Dow, Margaret 91 
Dow, Thomas 12, 39, 42 

E 

East Concord Society, 93 
Eastman, Abial 91 
Eastman, Charles 90 » 
Eastman, Edward 43 
Eastman, Isaac 87, 88 



INDEX. 



123 



Eastman, James 90 
Eastman, John 89, 91 
Eastman, Jonathan 89 
Eastman, Joseph 91 
Eastman, Nathaniel 89 
Eastman, Philip 69 
Eastman, Samuel C. 119 
Election Sermons, 66, 99 
Elwell, E. H. 119 
Emery, Benjamin 11, 42, 70, 80 
82, 83, 85, 108 
Emery, E. and C. 89 
Emery, Isaac 89 
Enlargement of Meeting-House, 
81, 83 
Episcopal Society, 87 
Evans, Asaph 91 
Evans, Israel 94 
Evans, Uriel 19 



Fabius, 5 

Farnum, Abner 90 
Farnum, Ephraim 89 
Farnum, Joseph 75, 90 
Farnum, Moses 90 
Farnum, Simeon 91 
Farrar, Timothy 27 
Federal Constitution, 102 
Federal Convention, 99 
Federal Courts, 115, 116 
Federalists, 22, 35 
Ferrin, Isaac F. 89, 90 
Fifield, Jonathan 43 
Fifield, Stephen 11, 42 
First Baptist Society, 87 
First Congregational Society, 

87, 101 



First factory in N. H., 15 
Fisk, Daniel 90 
Flanders, Richard 90 
Fletcher, Samuel 89, 91 
Floor plan of Meeting-House, 92 
Fogg, Jeremiah 9, 42 
Folsom, A. A. 119 
Fort William and Mai-y, 7 
Foiu'th of July orations, 100 
Freeman, Jonathan 20, 42 
Freeman's Oracle, 4, 115 
French, Theodore 89 

G 

Gage, I. K. 120 
Gale, John C. 43 
Gallery, 75 
Gallery floor plan, 84 
Gaskill, Jonathan 17, 42 
General Court, 65 
George, John 90 
Gerrish, Enoch 96 
Gerrish, Joseph 17, 42 
Gilman, John T. 8, 23, 42, 52 
Gilman, Nicholas 8 
Glidden, Charles 11, 42 
Glover, John 91 
Going to meeting, 78 
Goodwin, Reuben 89 
Goodwin, Samuel 75 
Goss, Nathan 9, 42 
Gray, James 11, 42 
Green, Ezra 12, 42 
Green, Jacob 16, 42 
Green, Peter 70, 80 
Green, Patty 89 
Griffin, Samuel 19, 42 
Grout, Daniel 19, 42 



124 



INDEX. 



H 

Hadley, Amos 118, 119 
Hale, Edward E. 119 
Hale, John P. 100 
Hale, Samuel 13, 42, 107 
Hall, Aaron 17, 42 
Hall, Ivory 91 
Hall, John 15, 42 
Hall, Joseph 71 
Hall, Moses 91 
Hamilton, Alexander 55 
Hampton, L. C. 119 
Hancock, John 54 
Hanniford, Benjamin 70 
Harper, William 13, 42 
Harris, Robert 71 
Harvey, Solomon 18, 42 
Hazen, H. A. 119 
Herbert, Richard 89 
Herbert, Samuel 87, 88, 91 
Hill, Col, 57 
Hill, Isaac 91 
HUl, Reuben 14 
Hoit, Jacob 91 
Hoit, Sewell 89 

Hooper, William M. 14, 23, 29 
40-42 
Horse-Block, 78, 79 
Hoyt, A. H. 119 
Hoyt, D. N. 89 
Hunt, William 15, 42 
Hurd, William 91 
Hutchins, Abel 87, 91 
Hutchins, Charles 91 
Hutchins, George 90 
Hutchins, Joseph 20, 42 



Independent Chronicle, 63 



Influence of the Massachu- 
setts Convention, 35 
Instruction to members, 27, 28 
Investigation of the Consti- 
tution, 26 

J 

Jewett, Jedediah 18 
Johnson, Jesse 20, 42 
Jones, Benjamin 16 
Jones, John Paul 12, 42 
Journal of the jST. H. Federal 

Convention, 3 
Judkins, Leonard 43 

K 

Kelley, A. B. 90 
Kent, George 91 
Kent, William A. 82, 87, 91 
Kimball, Benjamin 91 
Kimball, John 70, 80, 82, 83 
Kimball, Joseph 19, 42 
Kimball, Millen 91 
Kimball, Reuben 80 
Kimball, Rhoda 89 
Kimball, Samuel A. 90, 91 
Kimball, Simeon 91 
Kindrick, Daniel 15, 42 
King, Rufus 29, 55 
Knox, Henry 31, 32, 55 



Ladd, Nathaniel 6, 10 
Lafayette, Gen. 16, 100 
Langdon, John 7, 8, 23, 26, 29 
38-42, 51, 52, 54, 57 
Langdon, John L. 7, 23 
Langdon, Samuel 9, 26, 42 
Langdon, Tobias 7, 42 
Leader of the Federalists, 52 



INDEX. 



125 



Leader of the Anti-Federal- 
ists, 53 

Leave-taking of the old North 
Meeting-House, 94 

Legislature, first meetitig of 
at Concord, 77, 95 

Little, G. B. 120 

Li verm ore, John 19 

Livermore, Samuel 7, 19, 23, 25 
26, 38, 39, 41, 42, 46, 52, 53 

Long, Pierse 8, 42, 107 

Loring, G. B. 119 

Lovejoy, John 90 

Lovejoy, Chandler 75 

Low, Joseph 91 

M 

McFarland, Rev. Asa 87, 99 
McFarland, Asa 97 
McFarland, Elizabeth 91 
McMurphy, Archibald 9, 42 
Main question put, 42 
Manning, Thomas 57 
Martin, Henry 70, 84 
Massachusetts Centinel, 33 
Massachusetts newspapers, 5 
Meeting-House, 1st of Con- 
cord, 66 
Meeting-House lot, 70, 80 
Meeting-House of Exeter, 

1788, 24 
Meeting-House, Old North 37 
65-67, 70-73, 75, 101 
Methodist General Biblical 

Institute, 100 
Moody, Amos, 12, 42 
Morgan, Timothy 94 
Morril, D. L. 89 



Morril, Samuel 91 
Morss, Joshua 16, 42 
Murkland, C. S. 120 

N 

Negroes' pew, 76 
Nesmith, George W. 43 
N. n. Gazette, 4, 5, 55 
N. H. Historical Society, 118 
N. H. Statesman, 5 
New York Convention, 37 
Noyes, Daniel J. 94 
Noyes, J. AV. 120 
Number of delegates, 6 
Number of towns and places 
represented, 6 



Odlin, John 89 

Opposition to the Constitu- 
tion, 27 
Osgood, Peter 85 



Page, David 14, 42 
Page, Laban 89 
Page, William 15, 42 
Palmer, Barnabas 13, 42 
Parker, Abel 18, 23, 29, 39, 40,42 
Parker, Benjamin 87-89 
Parker, Samuel 18 
Patterson, Isaac 20, 42 
Patterson, J. W. 119 
Paul III, 2 

Payne, Elisha 20, 42, 109 
Pecker, Jeremiah 91 
Pickering, John 8, 26, 40, 42, 52 
Pierce, Franklin 100 



126 



INDEX. 



Pillions, 78 

Pinneman, Thomas 19, 42 

Plan of Gallery, 84 

Population of Concord in 
1800, 77 

Population of I^ew Hamp- 
shire in 1788, 6 

Potter, Jacob A. 89 

Potter, Thomas 90 

Potter, Thomas D. 89 

Prescott, Abraham 100 

Prescutt, Henry 9, 42 

Progress of Ratification illus- 
trated by coliunns, 34 

Pulpit, 73, 74, 101 

Putney, John 91 

R 

Ranney, Thomas S. 10, 42 
Rantoul, R. S. 119 
Ratification by other states, 

34,35 
Recess of Convention, 28 
Reed, James 12 
Rejoicings, 54 
Remmele, John 19, 42 
Renton, Peter 76 
Roach, John 80 
Robbins, Mary P. 18 
Rogers, Nathaniel 10, 42 
Rolfe, Abial 89 
Rolfe, Henry 89 
RoLfe, Paul 82 
Rowell, Christopher 75 
Rules of the Convention, 24 
Runnels, Daniel 9, 42 

S 

Safford, N. F. 100 



Sale of town's interest in 
the Meeting-House, 87 

Sanborn, F. B. 119 

Sanborn, James 89 

Sanborn, O. L. 89 

Sargent, J. E. 118, 119 

Sargent, Thomas B. 85, 90 

Sawyer, Charles H. 118, 119 

Scammel, Col. 16 

Session of the Convention, 
First 6, 30 

Session of the Convention, 
Second 37 

Severance, Joseph 43 

Sexton's salary, 85, 86 

Shannon, Nathaniel 14, 42 

Shattuck, Job 18 

Shepherd, Oliver 17, 42 

Shute, Isaac 90 

Shute, John 75 

Shute, Moses 90 

Sias, Benjamin 11, 42 

Simpson, William 20, 42 

Singing-Seats, 75, 76 

Slaves, 76, 112-114 

Sleeper, Nehemiah 11, 42 

Smith, Ebenezer 14, 40-43 ~ 

Smith, Jonathan 19, 40, 43 

Smith, Col. Jonathan 11, 40, 42 

Smith, John 43 

Smith, Robert 43 

Smyth, Frederick 120 

South Congregational Society, 

93 

Stark, John 7 

Steward, Robert 12, 42 

Stickney, Mary Ann 89 

Stickney, William 91 

Stone, Benjamin 12, 42 



INDEX. 



127 



stone, F. A. 119 
Stone, Matthias 19, 23, 29, 42 
Straw, H. F, 120 
Straw, James 90 
Sullivan, James 12 
Sullivan, John 12, 23, 24, 31, 38 
39, 42, 51, 52, 55, 115 
Sunday greetings, 77 
Swett, Benjamin H. 90 



Tainter, Jedediah 19, 42 

Taylor, Ann 8 

Taylor, John 8 

Taylor, Timothy 15, 42 

Temple, Archelaus 18, 42 

Tenney, A. P. 94 

The grandest period of Amer- 
ican history, 1 

Thomas Othniel, 18, 42 

Thurston, Benjamin 9, 26, 29 

42 

Toleration Act, 86 

Topliff, E. M. 120 

Toppan, Christopher 9, 42 

Town-meetings, 99 

Towns and places unrepre- 
sented, 6, 7 

Towle, E. S. 90 

Trask, W. B. 120 

True, Moses 19, 42 

True, Jacob 43 
U 

Union School District, 102 
Upham, Nathaniel G. 100 



Venduing the ringing of the 
bell, 85 



Vote on Katification, Analy- 
sis of, 44-47 
Virgin, Abial 82 
Virgin, Hazen 89 
Virgin, Isaac 89 
Vii-gin, Simeon 89 
Virginia Convention, 37 

W 

Walker, Abial 90 

Walker, Charles 89 

Walker, Isaac 120 

Walker, James 80 

Walker, Joseph 77, 87 

Walker, Joseph B. 79 

W^alker, Susannah 90 

Walker, Col. Timothy 71, 80, 95 

Walker, Rev. Timothy 68, 102 

Walker School-House, 66, 117 

Warming of Meeting-Houses, 

96-98 
Weare, Meshech 20 
Weather-cock, 71 
Webster, Daniel 17 
Webster, Ebenezer 4, 17, 43, 44 
Webster, Ezekiel 17 
Weeks, Ichabod 9, 42 
Weeks, Capt. John 21, 42, 110* 

111 
Weeks, Dr. John 110 
Wentworth, Col. 57 
West, Benjamin 17, 23, 39, 42 
West, John 89 
West, Samuel 17 
West, Thomas 17 
West, William 89 
West Concord Cong'l Society, 93 
Whitcomb, Elisha 17, 42 
Whitney, Betsey and Hannah, 90 



128 



ESTDEX. 



Wiggin, Jonathan 9, 42 
Wiggin, Sherborne 85 
Wilder, Luke 43 
Wilkins, Jonathan 91 
Wilkins, Robert B. 16, 42 
Williams, Frye 91 
Williams, Woolmer 119 



Winch, Caleb 19, 42 

Woodbury, C. L. 119 

Woodward, Capt. 57 

Worcester, Francis 20, 39, 42 

109 
Y 

Young, Samuel 21, 42 



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$1.25. Second Edition revised. 

Tliis book, which is not sectarian, has been received with marked favor by 
critics and by readers, both in this country and in England. This is not sur- 
prising, for it treats the most difficult problems of life, here and hereafter, in a 
hold and fearless manner, and at the same time in a candid and tender spirit, 
and has supplanted unbelief, doubt, and perplexity, with faith, trust, and hope. 

'^ H is a real spiritual biography — an inner lije hotust/y revealed. . . Suck 
a cheer/ill spirit animates the booh, a spirit so full of spiritual buoyancy, in tuir- 
fnony with the gospel of lozie, seeking the good and tlie beautiful — this in itself 
co}nmu7ii£ates hope, courage, and faith.'''' — Bostott Tost. 

WHENCE? WHAT? WHERE? A VIEW OF THE ORIGIN, 

NATURE, AND DESTINY OF MAN. By James R. Nichoi^. 
With portrait of the author. i2mo. Cloth, gilt top. $1.25. Eleventh 
edition, revised. 

"I consider ike late fames R. Nichols, the well-knoivn chemist, one of the 
coolest and tnost scientific investigators in the field of psychical phenotnena, and, 
at tlte same ti7ne, OJie of tlie most hottest. If the -world had more earnest think- 
ers of the same kind to co-operate "with him, the world would find out sotne- 
thing of value. — foseph Cook. 

' ' No one can take up the book witlwut feeling the inclination to read further, 
and to ponder on the all-importatit stdrjects which it presents. Though it is not 
a religious book ifi the accepted sense of the word, it is a book ivhich calls for the 
exercise of the religious nature, and •which in diffusittg }nany sensible ideas 
wdl be good." — Philadelphia Press. 

THE MYSTERY OF PAIN : A BOOK ADDRESSED TO THE 

SORROWED L. By James Hinton, M. D. With an introduction by 
James R. Nichols, author of "Whence? What? Where?" i6mo. 
Cloth, gilt top. ;f i.oo. 

This book was published in England twenty years ago, and a small edition 
was sent to this country, which readily found purchasers. The book, at the 
time it appeared in England, had a limited sale ; but since the author's death a 
new interest has arisen, and the work has been widely circulated and read. — A 
book which has comforted many a troubled soul, and awakened the emotion of 
love in distressed and doubting hearts. — Many good and uplifting thoughts in 
the book, — thoughts which will not readily pass from the memory. The prob- 
lem of pain is indeed dark and not easily solved; and if one is able to point 
out rifts in the cloud, the world of sufferers will welcome the light as rays 
breaking through from the regions of rest and bliss. — From the Inirodjiction. 

" No v/ord of praise can add anything to the value of this little -work, -wkich 
has now taken its place as one of the classics of religious literature . The ten- 
der, reverent, and searching spirit of the author has cotne as a great consolation 
and help to many persons. — Nevu } ^ork Critic. 

- - r , Publishers, 
CUppleS and Hurd, Booksellers, BOSTON. 

Library Agents, 



Important New Books. 



RALPH WALDO EMERSON, Philosopher and Seer. An Estimate 

of liis Character and Genius. By A. Bronson Alcott. 

With fiortraiis and other ilhistratiojis. Foolscai) octavo. Gilt top. ^1.50. 

One hmidred cofiies luill be printed 071 larger and finer f>afier, 8vo, suitable 

for tlie i7isertio7t of extra illiistrations. Bonnd i7i Roxbtirgh, gilt top. Price 

to S7ibscriiers, $3.00. 

A book about Emerson, written by the one man who stood nearest to him of 
all men. It is an original and vital contribution to Einersotim ; like a portrait 
of one of the old pasters painted by his own brush. [/« Press^ 

HERMfAN GRIMM'S WORKS. 
THE LIFE OF RAPHAEL as shown in his principal works. From the 
German of Herman Grimm, author of "The Life of Michael Angelo," 
etc. With fro7iiispiece, after Braiat, of iJie rece7itly discovered portrait ,. 
outlined by Raphael i7i chalk. Cr. 8vo. Cloth. ^2.00. 

ESSAYS ON LITERATURE. From the German of Herman Grimm,. 
uniform with "The Life of Raphael." New and eidnrged edition, care^- 
fully corrected. Cr. 8vo. Cloth. $2.00. 

BY f AMES H. STARK. 

ANTIQUE VIEWS OF YE TOWNE OF BOSTON. By Jambs H.. 
Stark, Assisted by Dr. Samuel A. Green, Ex-Mayor of Boston, Libra- 
rian of the Massachusetts Historical Society; John Ward Dean, Libra- 
rian of the New England Historic Genealogical Society ; and Judge 
Mellen ChA-MBERLAIN, of the Public Librarj'. An exte7isive a7Ld exhaust- 
ive work in 378 pages. Large quarto, llbistraied luith nearly zoo full 
size reproductions of all kjiow7i rare 7naps, old pritits, etc. I 710I, 4to. 
Cloth. $b.oo. 

BERMUDA GUIDE. A description of everything on or about the Ber- 
muda Islands, concerning which the visitor or resident may desire informa- 
tion, including its history, inhabitants, climate, agriculture, geology,, 
government, military and naval establishments. By James H. Stark. 
With Maps, Engravings and 16 photo-prints. 1 vol. i2mo, cloth, 

157 PP- $2-00. ^^^ 

PAUL REVERE: Historical and Legendary. By Elbridge H. Goss.. 
With reproductions of many of Revere's engravings, etc. [Itt press.. 

A DIRECTORY OF THE CHARITABLE AND BENEFICENT 

ORGANIZATIONS OF BOSTON, ETC. Prepared for the Asso^ 
ciated Charities, i vol., ig6 pp. i6mo. Cloth, )S 1.00. 

Publishers, ^^ ^ ^r-x-v ■» i- 

Cutties and Hlird, Booksellers, BOSTON^ 

^■' Library Agents. 



Important New Books. 



Translations of Two Powerful German Novels by Authors 
New TO American Readers. 

THE LAST VON RECKENBURG. By Louise von Francois. Trans- 
lated from the third German edition. 370 pages. Cr. 8vo. Cloth, gilt. 

$1.50. 

The popularity of this book among the reading public of Europe, and the 
interest it has excited in critical circles, led to the present translation into 
English. Gustave Freytag, one of the greatest of German novelists, says of 
it : " Clear, terse, with not a word too much, and rich in powerful expres- 
sions, it depicts everything in short sentences, obedient to every mood, every 
change of color. Readers will always close this volume with a consciousness 
that they have received a rare gift." 

MM. Erckmann-Chatrian have depicted the feverish excitement of France 
during the height of Napoleon's meteor-like blaze : this equally powerful ro- 
mance shows the reaction in Germany immediately after his downfall, when 
the pulse of Europe was striving to regain its normal beat. 

THE MONK'S WEDDING. A novel. By C. F. Meyer. Cr. 8vo 
unique binding, gilt top. $1.25. 
This is an Italian stor>', written by a German, and translated by an Americari, 
and purports to be narrated by the poet Dante at the hospitable hearth of his. 
patron. Can Grande. He evolved it from an inscription on a gravestone^:^ 
"Hie jacet monachus Astorre cum uxore Antiope. Sepeliebat Azzolinus" 
(Here sleeps the monk Astorre with his wife Antiope. Ezzelin gave them 
burial). Those who have any acquaintance with the unscrupulous machina- 
tions of the Italian, and particularly of the Italian ecclesiastic, will have little 
difficulty in conjuring up what a grim, lurid tale of secret crime and suffering a 
" Monk's Wedding " is sure to be. It is of sustained and absorbing interest, full 
of delicate touches and flashes of passion, a tragedy which ca.inot fail to leave 
an impression of power upon the mind. 

Works by William H. Rideing. 
THACKERAY'S LONDON: HIS HAUNTS AND THE 

SCENES OF HIS NOVELS. With two original Portraits (etched 
and engraved) ; a fac-simile of a page of the original manuscript of "The 
Newcomes ; " together with several exquisitely engraved woodcuts, i vol, 
square i2mo. Cloth, gilt top, in box. jSi.oo. Fourth Edition. 
LITTLE UPSTART, A. A Novel. Third edition. i6mo. Cloth. J1.25. 
" As a study of literary and would-be literary life it is positively brilliant- 
Many well-known figures are drawn with a few sweeping touches. The book> 
as a storv, is intere>uiig enough for the most experienced taste, and, as a satire, 
it is manly and healthy." — John Boyle O'Reiliy. 

" Notably free from the least sensationalism or unnaturalness. . . Flashes of 
sterling wit, with touches of exquisite pathos, and with a quiet mastery of style 
which I have rarely seen surpassed in American fiction and seldom equalled. 
The incidental bits of philosophy, observation, and keen worldly knowledge 
have few parallels in our literature." — Edgar Faivcett. 

Cupples and Hitrd, BooLcUers, BOSTON. 

Library Ag'cuts, 



Important New Books. 



THOMAS CARLYLE'S COUNSELS TO A LITERARY ASPI- 
RANT (a Hitherto Unpublished Letter of 1842), and What Came ol 
Them. With a brief estimate of the man. By James Hutchinson Stir- 
UNG, LL. D. i2mo, boards, 50 cents. 

Gives a side of the rugged old Scotchman which will be new to most readers. 
It shows that he was not always gruff and bearish, and that he could at times 
think of somebody besides himself. The letter is one luhkk every young man 
inha lias a leaning ifwards literary work laill read and ponder over. 



SOCIAL LIFE AND LITERATURE FIFTY YEARS AGO. 

i6mo, cloth, white paper labels, gilt top. ^i.oo. 
By a well-known litterateur. It will take a high place among the literature 
treating of the period. A quaint and delightful book, exquisitely printed in the 
Pickering style. 



CIVILIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES. By Matthew 
Arnold. And Other Essays concerning America, i6mo, unique paper 
boards. 75 cents. Cloth, uncut, ^1.25. The cloth binding matcfies the 
uniform edition of his collected works. 



about . 
*«♦ This colleaion gathers in the great critic's ^iw/ contributions to literature. 



LEGENDS OF THE RHINE. From the German of Prof. Bernard. 
Translated by Fr. Arnold. Finely Illustrated. Small 4to. Cloth. 
An admirable collection of the popular historical traditions of the Rhine, told 
■with taste and picturesque simplicity. [In press. 



A SELECTION FROM THE POEMS OF PUSHKIN. 
Translated, with Critical Notes and a Bibliography. By Ivan Panin, 
author of "Thoughts." Foolscap 8vo. Unique binding. ^2.00. 

The first published translation by the brilliant young Russian, Ivan Panin. 
-whose lectures in Boston on the literature of Russia, during the autumn of last 
Jear, attracted crowded houses. 



WIT, WISDOM, AND PATHOS, from the prose of Heinrich Heine, 
with a few pieces from the " Book of Songs." Selected and translated by 
J. Snodgrass. SecoTid edition, thoroughly revised. Cr. 8vo, 33S pp. 
Cloth, ^2.00 

"A treasure of almost priceless thought and criticism." — Contemporary 

Review. 

--,,,, , , , , Pvblishers, 

•Clippies and Hurd, Booksellers BOSTON, 

Lihrary Agents, 



Important New Books. 



Works by Sally Pratt McLean. 

CAPE COD FOLKS. A novel. Twenty-third edition. Illustrated, tzmo. 

Cloth. $1.25. 

TOWHEAD: THE STORY OF A GIRL. Fifth thousand, izmo. 
Cloth, gi.25. 

SOME OTHER FOLKS. A Book in Four Stories, izmo. Cloth. $1.25. 

These books are so well known that further comment seems superfluous. 
Suffice it to say that the entire press of the country has unanimously spoken of 
them in terms of high praise, dwelling not only on their delicious humor, their 
literary workmanship, their genuine pathos, and their real power and eloquence, 
but what has been described as their deep, true humanness, and the inimitable 
manner in which the mirror is held up to nature that all may see reflected 
therein some familiar trait, some description or character which is at once recog- 
nized. 

MISS McLEAirs NEIV BOOK. 

Since the production of Miss McLean's first effort " Cape Cod Folks," she 
has steadily advanced in intellectual development ; the same genius is at work 
in a larger and more artistic manner, until she fias at length produced wfiat 
must be truly considered as her masterpiece, and which we liave the pleasure to 
announce for immediate publication. 

LASTCHANCE JUNCTION: HUMAN NATURE IN THE 
FAR WEST. A novel. By Sally Pratt McLean, i vol. lanio. Cloth- 
iJi.2S. [In press.] 

The author in this book sees furtlier and clearer than she saw in her earlier 
works ; she has stepped, as it were, out of the limits of her former thought and 
action into the centre of the arena of the world's full, rich life; from the indi- 
vidual characteristic she has passed to the larger weaknesses and virtues of 
humanity, with their inevitable results of tragedy and nobility. Much as 
has been said respecting the pathos of her former books, one feels, as the 
last page of " Lastchance Junction " has been turned, that they were but small 
as compared with this, so terribly earnest is it, so true in its delineation of life, 
with all its elements of tragedy and comedy ; and life, moreover, in that region 
of our country where Nature still reigns supreme, and where humanity, uncon- 
trolled hy the conventionalities of more civilized communities, stands sharply 
drawn in the strong shadows of villainy and misery, and in the high lights of 
uncultured, strong nobility and gentleness. There are no half-tones. 

Terse, incisive descriptions of men and scenery, drawn with so vivid a pen 
that one can see the characters and their setting, delicious bits of humor, 
passages full of infinite paihos, make this book absolutely hold the reader from 
the tide to the last word, and as, when finished, one sighs for the pity of it, the 
feeling rises that such a work has not been written in vain, and will have its 
place among those which tend to elevate our race. 

PiibliskcT's 
{Supples and Hurd, Booksellers, BOSTON. 

Library Agertis, 



Important New Books. 



Scottish Humor. 

DAVID KENNEDY, THE SCOTTISH SINGER: Reminiscences, 
of his Life and Work by Marjory Kennedy. With portrait and illustra- 
tions. 8vo. Cloth. 479 pp. ^2.00. 
A highly interesting narrative of this humorous and pathetic singer, who will 
be remembered the world over, not only by Scotchmen, but by all those who, at 
any time, have formed a part of his delighted audiences, and who recall the in~- 
imitable manner in which he rendered all that is best in Scottish poetry and song. 
Genuine fun and drollery, keen observation of men and manners, notes of travel 
in many cities, the vicissitudes of an artistic career, are all depicted here with 
force and style. 

New and Charming Work on Japan. 

NINE YEARS IN NIPON : SKETCHES OF JAPANESE LIFE 
AND MAN N ERS. By Henry Faulds, L. F. P. S., Surgeon o/Tsvyiin 
Hospital, Tokio ; Member of the Royal A siatic Society. With lithographed 
frontispiece, and initial letters and illustrations on wood by Japanese 
artists, i vol. 304 pp. 8vo. Cloth. With appropriate and original cover 
designs. $2.00. 
The best inexpensive book on Japan that has yet appeared ; valuable as the- 
record of the observations and experiences of one who, by virtue of his profes- 
sion and his long residence, was admitted into the inner life of that conserva- 
tive people, the Japanese. Teeming with accurate information and eloquent 
description, especially of the social life of the people, of which the ordinary 
traveller sees practically nothing, it is a valuable addition to the literature of 
geographical, ethnological, and social science. 

THE TERRACE OF MON DESIR. A Novel of Russian Life. By 
Sophie Radford db Meissner. i2mo. Cloth limp, elegant. $1.25. 3rd 
edition. 

This novel is -written by iJie A tnerican wife of a Russian diplomat, who, by 
virtue of her position, is well qualified to describe the scenes and characters 
•which she has chosen to present ; she writes -with the clear, unbiassed view of 
her native country, and shows, perhaps for the first time, an unprejudiced pict- 
ure of Russiaji society. 

Her literary style has been pronotinced easy and flowing, with a certain opu~ 
lence in its swift panora-ina of bright scenes and high perso7iages, and readers 
•who recall the charming story of Switzerland 'which appeared in a late miniber 
of " Scribner" ■will tteed no further reco^nmendation to the pertisal of this 
•work. 

In these days when so much interest and sympathy is evoked by the narration 
of the miseries of the moujik this novel comes very it propos, as it presents 
a picture of the social and domestic life of that other branch of the Russians, the 
aristocratic, governing class ; who, notwithstanding their adherence to French 
models, still have that indefinite touch of their Oriental ancestry which gives 
them tlieir romance and passion, and renders them as emphatically Russian as 
the most humble peasant. 

CUppleS and Hurd, Booksellers, BOSTON^ 

Library Agents, 



important New Books. 



THE FOUR GOSPELS. Translated into Modern English from the Au- 
thorized and Revised Versions. By Ernest Dilton. Cloth. Jj.oo. 
A chert/' edition of a 7ieiv trmtslatioii of tli^ Gospels, having a great run oj 
popitlnrity i)t the religious circles of Great Britain. 
The author has taken the authorised version as it stands, availing him- 
self of many corrections su2;s;ested by the revised version, and li.is given the 
.ap,>arent meaning of the tVxt in the plainest possible language, the whole 
object being the simpHfication of the narratives of the Evangelists. It is not 
expected that this rendering will supersede the accepted version. The author 
e-jidcntiv feels that he is not without hope that it may lead to the serious con- 
sideration, in ijroper quarters, of the advisability of providing the people 
with an authorised translation of the Scriptures into the vulgar tongue, 
not of the sixteenth but of the nineteenth century. 



THESKETCHES OF THE CLANS OF SCOTLAND, with twenty- 
two full-page colored plates of Tartans. Ry Clansmek J. M. P. - F. W. S. 
Large Svo. Cloth, $2.00. 
The object of this treatise is to give a concise account of the origin, seat, and 
-characteristics of the Scottish clans, together with a representation of the dis- 
tinguishing tartan worn by each. The. illitsirations are fine specimens of color 
ivork, all executed in Scotland. 



THE GREEN HAND; or, the Adventures of a Naval Lieutenant. A Sea 
Story. By George Cupples. With Portrait of the Author and other 
Illustrations, i vol. i2mo. Cloth. $2.00. 
A new library edition of this fascinating sea classic. [In press. 

ALL MATTER TENDS TO ROTATION, OR THE ORIGIN 
OF ENERGY. A New Hypothesis which throws Light upon all the 
Phenomena of Nature. Electricity, Magnetism, Gravitation, Light, 
Heat, and Chemical Action explained upon Mechanical Principles and 
traced to a Single Source. By Leonidas Le Cenci Hamilton, M. A. 
Vol. I. Origin cl Energy t Electrostatics and Magnetism. Containing 100 
lUustratious, includine Fine Steel Portraits of Faraday and Maxwell, 
riandsomeiy bound id cloth. Svo, 340 pp. Price, $3.00. Net. 
Ill ;ms volume the author has utilized the modern conception of lines of 
force originated by Faraday, and afterwards developed mathematically by 
Prof. J. Clerk Maxwell, and he has reached an explanation of electrical and 
magnetic phenomena which has been expected by physicists on both conti- 
nents. It may have a greater influence upon the scientific world than either 
Newton's "Principia" or Darwin's " Origin of Species," because it places 
•natural science upon its only true basis— Pure Mechanics. 



Publishers, n/so T/^ \ T 

Cupples and Hurd. ^""^i^Zry Agents, dOSIUN. 



Important New Books. 



PROF. CLARK MURRAY'S WORKS. 

SOLOMON MAIMON: An Autobiography. Translated from the Ger- 
man, with Additions and Notes, by Prof. J. Clark Murray, i vol. 
Cr. 8vo. Cloth. 307 pp. $2.00. 

A life •which /onus oiie of the uiost exh'aordiiiary biographies in the history 
of literature. 

The London Spectator says: "Dr. Clark Murray has had the rare good' 
^ fortune of first presenting this singularly vivid book in an English translation 
as pure and lively as if it were an original, and an original by a classic 
English writer. 

George Eliot, in "Daniel Deronda," mentions it as "that wonderful bit of 
autobiography — tlie life of the Polish Jew, Solomon Maimon"; and Milman,, 
in his " History of the Jews," refers to it as a curious and rare book. 

HANDBOOK OF PSYCHOLOGY. By Prof. J. Clark Murray,. 
LLD., Professor of Mental and Moral Pliilosophy, M'Gill College, 
Montreal. Cr. Svo. 2d edition, ejdarged and improved. $1.75. 
Clearly and simply written, wiili illustrations so well chosen that the dullest 

student can scarcely fail to take an interest in the subject. 

ADOPTED FOR USE IN COLLEGES IN SCOTLAND, ENGLAND,. 
CANADA, AND THE UNITED STATES. 

Prof. Mnrray's good fort7me in bringing to light the '''Maimon Memoirs" 
together luith the increasing pofiulari/y of his "Handlwok of Psychology" lia% 
attracted the attention of the intelledual -world, giviiig him a positiow 
with the leaders of thought of the present age. His ivritings are at once 
original and suggestive. 

AALESUNC7 TO TETUAN. By Chas. R. Corning. A Volume of 
Travel. i2mo. 400 pp. Cloth. $2.00. 
Table of Contents. — Portsmouth — Isle of Wiglit — Channel Islands — 
Vormandy — Nice — Monte Carlo- — Genoa — Naples and its linvironments — 
Rome — Verona — Venice — Norway — Sweden — St. Petersburg — Moscow — 
IVarsaw — Berlin — Up the Rhine — Barcelona — Valencia — Seville — Cadiz 

— Morocco- — Gibraltar — Granada — Madrid and the Royal Wedding — Bull 
Fights — Escurial — Biarritz — Bordeaux — Paris. 

TAPPY'S CHICKS: or. Links Between Nature and Human Nature. 
By Mi;s. George CuppLES. Illustrated. i6mo. Cloth, $1.25. 

The tenderness and humor of this volume are simply exquisite. — E. P. 
Whipple. 

The title is altogether too insignificant for so delightful and valuable a work. 

— Sf>ectator(\^m^6.o\\). 

It is not merely a work of talent, but has repeated strokes of undeniable- 
genius. — George Macdonald. [In preparation. 

Piiblishers, 
C-UppleS and Hurd, Booksellers, BOSTON^ 

•* ^ Library Agents, 



Important New Books. 



Lives of Five Distinguished Americans. The Only 
Biographies Extant. 

MATTHZWCALBRAITH PERRY. A typical Amprfcan Naval Officer.. 
By Wu.i.iAM Elliot Griffis, author of "The Mikado's Em-^ire," and 
" Corea: the Hermit Nation." Cr. Svo, 459 pages, gilt top, with two por- 
traits and seven illustraiions. ^2.00. 

"Sure of frivorablerecention. and a permanent place in public and private 
hbrancs."— iV. V. Evening Post. ^ 

" Of unusual value to every student nf American history."— iV«/. Bafit'si 

One o' the best books ot the year." — PuiLc Onn'on. 
" His biography will be one of thi naval cla&sics."— Army and Navv 
Journal. -^ 

i,' ^?^. ^'^^^ '"'5 work ri^ht well."— C/4'^«r<7 Evenutr J onrnal . 
" Highly ciKCrtaining 2.adins.rixctive."—l/Kiversal^i Quarterly. 

THADDEUS STEVEN3, AMERICAN STATESMAN AND 

FOUXDER CF THZ REPUBLICAN PARTY. A Memoir by 

E. B. Callendar. With portrait. Cr. Svo. Cloth, gilt top. ^1.50. 

A biography of one of thj most interesting characters in the whole ran<re of 

Am-ncan po'itics, whose work must bo und.-rstood thoroughly to giin accurate 

knowledge of the secret fi^rces operating during liis tim.;s, 1792 to 1S69. 

JOHN HOWARD PAYNE. A. Biography cf the author of " Home, 
Sweet Home," by Chas. H. Brainard. With four portraits from minia- 
tures and other sources, fac-simlle of manuscript, " Home, Sweet Home " 
and photographic illustrations of his tomb at Washington, etc., etc. Svo. 
Cloth elegant, gilt top, in box. $3.00. 
Apart from the remembrance and regard in which the author of "Home 
bweet Home is he.dby the world, thi^ biography will possess additional intel 
rest trom the tact that It IS " ntten under the direct editor/hii of W W Cor 
coran, the late eminent philanthropist, "ho provided the funds f^r the removal 
of the poet's body from Africa to Washington. removal 

THE LIFE OF ADMIRAL SIR ISAAC COFFIN, BARONET- 
HIS ENGLISH AND AMERICAN ANCESTORS. By Thomas 
C. Amory. With portrait. Large Svo. $1.25. 
The name of Coffin is so wide'y spread over our continent, so many thous- 
ands of men and women of other patronymics take pride in their descent from 
Instram, Us hrst Amencan patriarch, that whit concerns them all anv consid 
erable branch or distinguished individual of the race, seems rather historv than 
biography. ■' 

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF COMMODORE CHARLES 

MORRIS. iVith lieliotype portrait after Ary Scluffer. 1 vol. Svo. 
Ill pages. J 1. 00. 
A valu.-ible addition to the literature of American historv ; a bioffraphv of 
one who, in the words of Admiral Karrag ut, was "America's ^andest seaman.'' 

y-.,,, T t 1 ■, Publishers, 

LUppleS and HUrd, Booksellers, BOSTON. 

Library Agents, 



Important New Boohs. 



HOW TO WRITE THE HISTORY OF A FAMILY. By w. P. 

W. Phillimore, M. a., B. C. L. i vol. Cr. 8vo. Tastefully printed in 
antique style, handsotnely bound. ^2.00. 

Unassuming, practical, essentially useful, Mr. Phillimore's book should be in 
the hands of every one who aspires to search for his ancestors and to learn his 
family history. — Athe^ueu-in. 

This is the best compendious genealogist's guide that has yet been published, 
and Mr. PhiUimore deserves the thanks and appreciation of alllovers of family 
history. — Reliquary. 

Notice. — Large Paper Edition. A few copies, on hand-made paper, wide mar- 
gins, bound in half morocco, may be obtained, price ^6.50 Tiet. 

THE KINSHIP OF MEN: An Argument from Pedigrees ; or, Genealogy 

Viewed as a Science. By Henry Kendall. Cr. 8vo. Cloth, $2.00. 

The old pedigree-hunting was a sign of pride and pretension ; the modem is 
simply dictated by the desire to know whatever can be known. The one 
advanced itself by the methods of immoral advocacy; the other proceeds by 
those of scientific research. — Spectator (London). 

RECORDS AND RECORD SEARCHING. A Guide to the Genealo- 
gist and Topographer. By Walter Rye. 8vo, cloth. Price $2.50. 
This book places in the hands of the Antiquary and Genealogist, and others 
interested in kindred studies, a comprehensive guide to the enormous mass of 
material which is available in his researches, showing what it consists of, and 
where it can be found. 

ANCESTRAL TABLETS. A Collections of Diagrams for Pedigrees, so 
arranged that Eight Generations of the Ancestors of any Person may be 
recorded in a connected and simple form. By William H. Whitmore, 
A.M. SEVENTH EDITION. On heavy parchment paper, large 4to, 
tastefully and strongly bound, Roxburgh style. Price $2.00. 

" No one with the least bent for genealogical research ever examined this in- 
geniously compact substitute for the ' family tree ' without longing to own it. 
It provides for the recording of eight lineal generations, and is a perpetual 
incentive to the pursuit of one's ancestry." — Nation. 

. THE ELEMENTS OF HERALDRY. A practical manual, showing 
what heraldry is, where it comes from, and to what extent it is applicable to 
American usage; to which is added a Glossary in English, French and 
Latin of the forms employed. Profusely Illustrated. By W. H. 
Whitmore, author of " Ancestral Tablets," etc. \_In press. 

Cuttles and Hurd, "^ Bookskkrs, BOSTON. 

^■t Library Agents, 







"oo^ =^ 


*>i. J- 






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0^ 






SEPT 68 

^^W ^- MANCHESTE 






: ,x^'"v 







